In the shadow of the temples
Apartment blocks meet the neolithic
Summary
On Triq il-Parsott in Xagħra, Gozo — within sight of the Ġgantija Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest free-standing structures on Earth — developer Emmanuel Farrugia filed application PA/00570/21 to demolish an existing dwelling and construct 22 apartments and 20 garages. The project, called "Gigantija Heights," was approved but subsequently revoked under Article 80 in March 2024. Board minute records show it was then deferred again in March 2026, suggesting the permit may be in the process of being reissued.
This is not an isolated case. Xagħra has seen a development explosion, with annual planning applications more than doubling from 113 in 2015 to 254 in 2018, and the area around the temples is filling with apartment blocks, garages, and residential clusters.
Key findings
PA/00570/21 — Gigantija Heights
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case number | PA/00570/21 |
| Description | Demolish existing dwelling, construct 20 garages at basement level and 22 overlying apartments |
| Location | Gigantija Heights, Triq il-Parsott, Xagħra |
| Applicant | Emmanuel Farrugia |
| Category | Within Development Zone |
| Decision | Referred for Reassessment after Revocation - Article 80 |
| Decision date | 7 March 2024 |
The board hearing history reveals the tortured path of this application:
| Date | Hearing | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 2022 | Planning Commission (Within Development Scheme) | Deferred |
| 16 Dec 2022 | Planning Commission (Within Development Scheme) | Deferred |
| 8 Feb 2023 | Planning Commission (Within Development Scheme) | Deferred |
| 9 Nov 2023 | Board hearing | Approved (159 votes) |
| 7 Mar 2024 | Board hearing | Approved then revoked (30 votes) |
| 12 Mar 2026 | Board hearing | Deferred |
The case was deferred three times before finally being approved in November 2023. It was then revoked under Article 80 in March 2024 — but the March 2026 deferral suggests the application is being reconsidered, potentially leading to reapproval.
Emmanuel Farrugia's development portfolio
The database reveals Farrugia as a prolific developer across Malta and Gozo:
| Case | Year | Description | Location | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA/00570/21 | 2020 | 22 apartments + 20 garages | Xagħra (Ġgantija area) | Revoked/Reassessment |
| PA/02255/24 | 2024 | 4 residential blocks + Class 4B | Marsalforn, Żebbuġ (Gozo) | Approved |
| PA/03278/22 | 2022 | Demolish house, construct parking + 5 apartments + penthouse | Naxxar | Approved |
| PA/06951/21 | 2021 | Demolish dwelling, construct garages + apartments | Naxxar | Approved |
| PA/00017/20 | 2019 | 12 garages at basement + 2 maisonettes + overlying apartments | Gudja | Approved |
| PA/03614/25 | 2025 | Demolish maisonettes, construct 5 apartments + penthouse | Gżira | Approved |
| PA/05296/19 | 2019 | Demolish dwelling, construct 14 overlying apartments | Mosta | Approved |
The pattern is consistent: demolish existing dwellings, excavate basements, construct apartment blocks. Every application except the Xagħra case has been approved.
Development pressure in Xagħra
| Year | PA applications |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 113 |
| 2016 | 128 |
| 2017 | 173 |
| 2018 | 254 |
| 2019 | 221 |
| 2020 | 232 |
| 2021 | 227 |
| 2022 | 204 |
| 2023 | 191 |
| 2024 | 187 |
| 2025 | 158 |
The 2018 peak of 254 applications represents a 125% increase over 2015 levels. Recent applications near the temples area include an 11-house development on Triq it-Tigrija (PA/01857/26), 11 terraced houses on Triq George Mcadam (PA/01221/26), and a 20-unit apartment block on Triq ta' Gajdoru (PA/07733/25). The buffer zone around the UNESCO site is being systematically filled.
Other major developments near Ġgantija
| Case | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| PA/01857/26 | Demolish 3 rooms, construct 11 two-storey houses + 3 garages + 7 pools | 149, 150 Triq it-Tigrija, Xagħra |
| PA/01221/26 | 11 terraced houses on 4 floors, each with garage | Triq George Mcadam, Xagħra |
| PA/07733/25 | Demolition + 20 residential units with garages | 5A Triq ta' Gajdoru, Xagħra |
| PA/01580/26 | Alterations and extensions to residential units | Triq Gnien Imrik, Xagħra |
| PA/08026/25 | Retain pre-1967 building, demolish rest, excavate + construct apartments | Pjazza Sant'Anton, Xagħra |
Why this matters
The Ġgantija Temples are approximately 5,500 years old — older than the Egyptian pyramids, older than Stonehenge. They are one of only three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malta and represent an irreplaceable connection to human prehistory. The construction of a 22-apartment block with 20 garages within the temple's visual and environmental buffer zone would fundamentally alter the setting that UNESCO sought to protect. The revocation of the permit in March 2024 was a rare victory, but the March 2026 deferral suggests the fight is far from over. Meanwhile, the surrounding area continues to densify with large residential projects that collectively transform the rural Gozitan landscape around one of the world's oldest monuments.