After weeks of protest and activism, organised by a group of Cottonera residents “Tuna Artna Lura” (Give us back our Land), spearheaded by Dr Joseph Tonna, Dr Andrea Dibben & Rebecca Cremona with support from 11 NGOs and hundreds of residents from the Cottonera, the Planning Board today refused planning permission for the American University of Malta (AUM) extension.
At the 27 September Planning Authority Board hearing, a door had been left wide open to the developers and their architect, stating that the PA would not approve the plans as submitted, but allowing the architect to resubmit fresh plans. At the today’s hearing no fresh plans were available. On the contrary, the architect argued that what his office had submitted conformed with 2005 development brief for the cluster of buildings and open spaces in question.
The Planning Authority Board today confirmed its commitment to refuse the controversial application to expand the American University of Malta campus in Cospiqua, overturning the Case Officer’s recommendation to approve the application. A unanimous decision was taken, refusing planning permission to AuM’s application to extend its premises, which would have obliterated public open spaces and blocked historic views of the bastions.
To the applause of residents, Labour MP and government representative on the PA board Clayton Bartolo insisted that the visual impact on St Michael’s fort was unacceptable. “It is elementary that nobody builds in front of the bastions,” he said. NGO representative Annick Bonello also insisted that the project was against the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) which overruled all other policies.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Ahjar extends a big round of applause to the Planning Board, for ensuring that an important part of Maltese Heritage has been safeguarded from rampant development, which would not benefit the Cottonera community in any way at all, but serve only to line the pockets of a chosen few. FAA also congratulates the residents it supported and thanks the legal advisors, architectural advisors and all other hard-working volunteers in building a strong campaign over the last three months, raising awareness re the potential loss of important public spaces and historic bastion views, had this application been approved. The important struggle to oppose what is wrong by residents and concerned citizens, is fully endorsed by FAA.
Our communities no longer stand by like sheep and watch helplessly. We do not accept the theft of our heritage to enrich businesses who give no added value as a return to the communities they plunder. As an established NGO, FAA will oppose such absurd planning applications with all means possible, to safeguard the interests of our communities, to ensure a better environment for all.
A raised fist of a protestor at a political demonstration
