Bats, Frogs And Robins Threatened By Road Proposed Near Ex-Trade Fair Grounds In Naxxar, Green NGO Warns
A road proposed to connect landlocked plots off Triq Santa Marija in Naxxar will threaten the habitat of local wildlife, an environmental NGO has warned.
Flimkien Għall-Ambjent Aħjar has filed an objection against the proposed road, warning that the area is full of rare fauna such as bat colonies, the Maltese painted frog and robins, as well as a number of red book Flora species which will be submitted in an ecological report.
The road application site lies on the west boundary of the ex-Trade fair Grounds site, where a massive, high density, mixed use development has been proposed, and on the North boundary of the Naxxar Urban Conservation Area.
FAA urged the Planning Authority to commence scheduling procedures to preserve the area, which also includes the Barumbara Tower, which pre-dates 1900, and surrounding ancient dry-stone walls.
“Further urbanisation and development, and loss of pristine, open space of rural character, with such unique landmarks as the Barumbara tower would be of great detriment to the common good,” a spokesperson for the NGO said.
“As already proposed by us the citizens of the area in our 2015 and later submissions, the common good would certainly be much better served if the entire Comprehensive Planning Area were to be changed to a Green Enclave or some similar designation as one finds in Local Plans for other localities, thereby ensuring preservation of the rural character of the area, the Barumbara tower, and the existing eco-system.”.