Cultural heritage watchdog inspects Ċaqnu’s massive Xemxija development

A massive development in Xemxija, proposed by Charles Polidano (iċ-Ċaqnu) of Polidano Group, has been subjected to repeated site visits by cultural heritage officials following the apparent discovery of cart ruts, The Shift can report.

Officials from the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage (SCH) have repeatedly visited the site to conduct multiple inspections, as part of the Authority’s requirement for an archaeological assessment prior to the massive development proposed by Polidano in Xemxija. 

Sources familiar with the plans first published by this news portal said the developer was aware of where the cart ruts would be located and that any archaeological remains would need to be incorporated into the project.

Iċ-Ċaqnu proposed development, an active site with constant ongoing works and no planning permit in hand, is set to dominate a residential area that was meant to be for low-lying dwellings and villas, according to the town’s local plan.

The SCH’s need to scan for known archaeological remains is what has prompted the flurry of on-site activity over the past few weeks, which quickly took on the form of wider site clearing of mature carob trees and other species that had been in the area for decades.

The only planning application currently linked to the site is undergoing a screening process at the Planning Authority (PA). According to the company’s plans, the mixed-use development is planned across three street levels, with buildings set to reach heights of 11 storeys and will consist of both residences and commercial outlets. 

According to the plans by Polidano’s company, Xemxija Estates Ltd, the development is to comprise 156 residential units, a 64-room hotel, more than 20,000 square metres of retail and commercial space, and parking facilities for 665 vehicles.

Earlier this month, a group of Xemxija residents published a letter that they sent to the EU Commission, requesting “urgent” intervention over the project’s breach of local height plans and the fact that the plot is designated as an Archaeological Site.

Besides concerns about archaeological remains, the project’s sheer size and scale also raised concerns about the fragile geology of the neighbourhood.

When reached for comment, the Malta Chamber of Geologists noted that “the ground area of the project is almost entirely all blue clay.”

“This means that special foundations and precautions are needed. Whether they are being enforced by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is unknown, because the BCA couldn’t care less about geology,” the Chamber’s president, Peter Gatt, told The Shift.

When asked to clarify what kind of special foundations and precautions were needed, Gatt explained that “deep foundations” (known also as “piles”) would be required. Piles are long cylinders made of a material like concrete that are pushed into the ground to act as support for structures built on top of them.

“However, we do not even know if a geological investigation has been carried out,” he added.

The fragile geology of the area is well known. In 2007, Polidano Group was forced to repair a section of St Paul’s Bay bypass after carrying out illegal excavation works that led to a partial collapse.

The SCH did not answer The Shift’s questions sent over a week prior to publication.