Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) and the Gozitan NGO Save Ramla welcome the MEPA Appeals Tribunal’s refusal of the Appeal on the Ramla l-Hamra project to build a complex of 23 villas with pools on the slopes of the Ramla hillside. This project had originally been granted a permit by MEPA, but subsequent to a large public protest, MEPA revoked the permit as the developers had failed to declare that their site included a parcel of public land.
The refusal of this appeal and closure of this permit is of huge significance, as reinstating the permit would have opened the whole Ramla hillside to development. Save Ramla, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) and other environment NGOs were committed to ensuring that the most iconic unspoilt beach on the Maltese islands remains unbuilt due to the existence of archaeological remains and also because parts of Ramla l-Ħamra make up a Natura 2,000 site because of the presence of endangered plants growing on the unique sand dunes at Ramla.
It was necessary for the NGOs to incur unavoidable and substantial expense for the drawing up of professional reports which contributed to the tracing of the public land on the site. Following the successful outcome of the campaign, the NGOs are appealing to the general public to contribute towards the expenses incurred through a direct debit donation at http://www.faa.org.mt/donate (Bank of Valletta account no: 400-1851-6481, or HSBC Bank Malta account no: 061-253-217-050).
This is a most welcome result for the preservation of Gozo and Malta’s rural heritage, and a credit to the MEPA Reform and ECO-Gozo commitment. The NGOs hope that future projects related to the old Ulysses Lodge site will remain within the legal footprint and respect Gozo’s unique ecology and landscape, while benefitting the Gozitan tourist industry.
FAA urges all those who are interested in the preservation of Malta’s heritage and environment to be encouraged by this positive outcome and to participate in this effort by enrolling as a member of FAA here as such support would further strengthen the drive to save Malta’s heritage, environment and quality of life.