Momentum condemns in the strongest possible terms the disgraceful approval of development within the protected buffer zone of the Ġgantija Temples.

The Planning Authority has granted final approval for a 22-apartment block and 20 basement garages just metres away from one of the world’s oldest free-standing structures, despite years of objections, serious concerns raised by NGOs, and repeated insistence by UNESCO that a proper Heritage Impact Assessment is essential before such decisions are taken.

This decision exposes a deeply flawed and compromised planning process. Even the Heritage Impact Assessment itself acknowledged that the development would remain visually dominant in the landscape, yet authorities still concluded that the impact was “not significant”, a contradiction that has been strongly challenged by civil society.

Carmel Asciak, Momentum candidate for Gozo and the 12th District, stated:
“This is not just a bad decision, it is an outright scandal. It confirms that the institutions meant to protect our heritage are instead enabling its gradual destruction. The fact that only the NGOs representative Romano Cassar voted against this development speaks volumes about how isolated common sense has become within the system.”

The approval of this project places the UNESCO World Heritage status of Ġgantija at real and immediate risk. Buffer zones exist precisely to prevent this kind of encroachment and to safeguard not only the site itself but its wider landscape and visual integrity. Undermining these protections erodes Malta’s credibility and commitment to international heritage obligations.

Government has once again chosen to prioritise speculative development over the national interest. This is not simply poor planning, it is a reckless decision that betrays our cultural identity and compromises an irreplaceable legacy for future generations.

Momentum calls for the immediate reversal of this decision, full transparency on how it was reached, and urgent reform of the planning system to ensure that no government or authority can again put Malta’s most valuable heritage at risk.

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