The applicant, James Borg, has permission to build four houses and earlier this year, he applied (PA/03174/23) to extend the development to seven houses which, if approved will be built around 200 metres away from the megalithic site that dates back to the Neolithic era.

The SCH has the responsibility to protect Malta’s cultural heritage however in a letter sent in August of this year to the PA, the Superintendence said that while significant archaeological remains have been recorded in the vicinity, these are not located within the site subject to the current application which has been investigated,” according to Victor Borg.

However, Victor stated that in the report by archaeologist Bernardette Mercieca-Spiteri written after excavations on the site that occurred in May and June of this year, the presence of a “burial pit” dating back to the “temple period” was found. Within these, animal and human bones, alongside sherds of pottery were discovered, the journalist wrote.

Moreover, the FAA released a statement condemning the actions of the SCH and the police saying that “nothing was done to secure the site from tampering and save the caves that indicated prehistoric uses.

The NGO continued to claim that on a nearby construction site, “works proceeded without the stipulated heritage monitor. The previous archaeological monitor employed in the area was speedily replaced when he issued a report highlighting the presence of archaeological remains.”

“During the latest hearing, journalist Victor Borg revealed that he had been passed a very recent report drawn up by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage which revealed that not only was archaeology found, but that human remains were laid in caves in a manner indicating that the site was used for ritual purposes. Rather than submitting this report to the PA, this report was concealed by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.”

“Again, instead of thanking the journalist for revealing this report, Silvana Baldacchino, the Chairman of the PA Environment Planning Commission spent the hearing berating him for not submitting the report to the Superintendence which had suppressed it all along, just as the police had ignored it all reports.”

Moreover, according to the statement, Astrid Vella (FAA) and Carmen Bajada, Xagħra resident, witnessed the lack of monitoring on the site and the disturbance of the archaeological remains.

It said that members of the Environment Planning Commission (EPC) board were pushing for a summary decision on the permit, based on 2012 Superintendence claiming no finds on the site, which are now nullified by the Superintendent’s own (concealed) report to the contrary.

“At FAA’s insistence, the EPC agreed to defer the decision to receive, upload, and discuss the SCH report obtained by Victor Borg.”

“Flimkien ghal Ambjent Aħjar asks yet again, why NGOs and the public have to do the work of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Planning Authority, which is responsible for safeguarding Malta’s Heritage.”

“Moreover, today a replacement secretary attended for Xagħra Local Council. Why did the lawyer, agreed upon unanimously in a meeting of the Xaghra Local Council, to study this application, submit representations and represent the Council, not submit representations nor attend today’s hearing to defend Xagħra’s unique history from developers’ greed?”

Lovin Malta has reached out to the SCH for a comment and is currently awaiting a response.

Do you think that the application should be approved?