Gharb council is up in arms against plans to build a third fireworks factory in the locality just 150 metres away from the historic San Dimitri chapel.
The council - which has the backing of residents, Din l-Art Helwa, Wirt Ghawdex, and the Gozo Tourism Authority - is furious that the fireworks factory has already been granted an outline development permit by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
One bone of contention is that the council has already applied to develop a picnic area next to the chapel, which mayor David Apap said would in all probability be approved.
Mr Apap questioned the feasibility of having a picnic area and a fireworks factory so close to each other, especially when the law stipulated that such a factory "must not be within 200 metres of other habitable building or public road".
If an accident occurred at the factory, it could destroy or cause irreparable damage to the chapel.
The council also argues that the area has considerable scenic value and the proposed buildings would severely affect the landscape.
Mr Apap pointed out that the site lay alongside arable land that was tilled by farmers and, if built, the factory would threaten their livelihood.
Besides all this, the council said, the applicant of the fireworks factory did not own the land which was still tilled by the current owner.
MEPA has said that the outline development permit was subject to a number of conditions, among them that no work shall commence on site until full development permission was granted for development.
The full development application will be accompanied by a schedule of times indicating on a weekly basis the operating hours of the fireworks factory.
Following consultations that MEPA had with Enemalta Corporation, the Water Services Corporation and the departments of public health, museums, drainage and the Explosives Committee, there were few objections to the development.
The Museums Department did raise the issue of the chapel being so close and recommended that advice be sought from an explosives expert before any decision was taken.
Meanwhile, the Explosives Committee noted that the site met the "outside safety distances required by law and was therefore suitable to build a fireworks factory".
However, it pointed out that the passage leading to the proposed site must be made accessible to emergency vehicles.
After examining the area, the committee noted that although the chapel was just 150 metres away from the proposed site, it was situated 23 metres above the level of the site.
Furthermore, the terraced fields separating the chapel from the site could serve as an embankment in case of an accidental explosion.
The committee was also of the opinion that the possibility of the chapel suffering damage from an accidental explosion at the proposed fireworks factory was "very remote, but can never be ruled out entirely".
In the light of this, the planning directorate recommended that the applicant insure the chapel against any damage caused by any accidental explosions.
However, in its request for third party appeal, the council through its architect Edward Scerri, said this recommendation was the "joke of the day".
"If irreparable damage does eventually occur, how can it be solved in terms of money collected through an insurance policy? Has the historical importance of our monuments been reduced to this?" it asked.
The council questioned in its appeal how the minimum safe distance of 200 metres was being blatantly infringed.
It said it was ironic that the first publication on scenic walks throughout Gozo had been published while this debate was going on. One of these scenic routes passes right along the site in question.
"With a population of 1,300, Gharb already has two fireworks factories - having a third is unacceptable and we have a number of objections," Mr Apap said.