Letter to the Sunday Times of Malta, 6th July 2008

The New York Times (June 25) carried a travelogue on Malta.

As I read the blogs I came across the following;

“Last month, I took my wife and three children to Malta for a week. Your story brought back some wonderful memories which are still very fresh in my mind. All you’ve said about Malta is true, but there is another side to the country which was particularly disturbing to me. The rampant, unchecked development of massive concrete holiday flats all over the island is ruining the place. There is very little oversight and many of the architectural gems throughout the country are rapidly being eclipsed by these new developments. You were right to stay in Gozo – it’s much quieter!”

How many times do we have to say this, think this and hear this to understand that developments such as the Mistra Village redevelopment are wrong? This particular development is not only wrong because it goes against planning regulations that stipulate a maximum height of eight storeys but it is wrong for the rural north. What is the point of a development which is justified by Mepa because there is open space between the boomerang buildings when the beautiful walks in Selmun and Mistra are now going to be dominated by this massive development?

Matt Gross, the writer of the travelogue, chose to stay in Qala and travel to places like Valletta and Mġarr. I wonder what he will say if he ever travels through Malta again on his moped only to discover this monster on the top of an ancient ridge!

Joanna Spiteri Staines, Ta’ Xbiex