Updated: Residents fume as Mepa approves controversial pig farm

"" Mepa chairman Andrew Calleja said Mepa could not go against established policies. ""

How about Mr Calleja does the right thing for Once ! And use Common Sense !!

What does PN have to do with it? says Mr. Mark Galea. Now let's see if you know this one! Who chooses and appoints the officials at MEPA? This one shouldn’t be too difficult for a 9 year old, now should it?

I agree that it is very unpleasant to have pigs adjacent to your dwelling. BUT has anyone ever thought how many pig farms, cattle farms and poultry farms which have been standing in a place for decades or centuries had to be relocated ? and guess why because people happened to choose to build their houses around them. This really seems to be a situation of what goes around comes around. One should also keep in mind that most of these relocated farms where actually sent to maghtab...so why choose to build your house there when you know the area is a farm relocation area? if the houses in question were there between 80 and 300 years ago (as it has been sugested further down) and have been recently converted.....has anyone one tried to imagine by whom they were originally occupied??? by farmers i suppose ?

Vis-a-vis Mepa policy 1.3b Amenity, as quoted by mr.Portelli, and the Mistra approval,Mr. Andrew Calleja Mepa chairman should have the decency to resign. Mr. Prime minister, please take note

MEPA's policies are stupid.

They shouldn't allow pig farms in agricultural land. Such areas are only fit for villas with pools...for the few.

I thought that MEPA reached rock bottom with the Safi and Mistra cases.....This surely proves me wrong!!

First they had a toxic smell from the landfill, now they have to smell the filth of the pigs... my God! When these unfortunate inhabitants are going to smell some fresh air!!

We the residents can not understand why the MEPA board kept on refusing our justifications for refusal of this application when quoting the Amenity policy and they kept on insisting that we had no right as we were less than 100 people and kept on quoting a police code on inhabited areas! POLICY 1.3B: AMENITY * In considering applications for development permission, the Authority will seek to protect the amenity of the surrounding areas, particularly any nearby dwellings** and/or public open space.
MEPA will not permit proposed development which, in its opinion, would cause an unacceptable conflict with adjacent legitimate activities. *Amenity The term ‘amenity’ refers to the “pleasantness of the surroundings” (source: Peter Collin Publishing, 1995, Dictionary of ecology and environment, 3rd ed.).
Normally, the amenity of an area is determined by various interrelated natural/man-made features and factors (e.g. the quality of the scenery, traditional rural features, quietness, pleasant facades, presence of trees, etc.) within a particular place, thereby making the surroundings and the environment pleasant for the people. ** Dwelling: Also referred to as ‘dwelling unit’. A self contained building which was constructed for habitation purposes and usually accommodates a single household. The terms ‘farm dwelling’, ‘dwelling for a livestock breeder/farmer’, ‘proposed dwelling’ and ‘farmhouse’ refer to a dwelling where a farmer lives. Source: Policy and Design Guidance AGRICULTURE, FARM DIVERSIFICATION AND STABLES - APPROVED DOCUMENT December 2007

Where was MEPA's blind adherence to policies when the Safi supermarket was given? And when the Mistra permit was issued?

I would like to pose one question to all those that tried to justify this development:
Are we, residents of ODZ anything less than the rest of Maltese citizens? Do we not enjoy the same rights and freedom as the rest of all citizens?
Then I suggest to these people to visit a pig farm and imagine being there 24x7x356 days. Smells, noise, dirt, parasites, etc.
If MEPA board thinks that this is OK to us inferiors to live in such a state, then I would not like to imagine the state they keep their houses and families in..... maybe worse than a pig sty?

attn: l ebejer
As a matter of fact an alternative site was identified (PA 08228/06)and is right next the the applicant's recently aquired farm(ex-MGP - PA02631-06) .
This farm was confirmed to be for sale complete with the Pig Slater Quota (26 pig heads/month)and livestock included and is double the size of the plot of land on which the permit has been granted.
But.... they expected the residents to pay the hefty asking price of circa Lm 200,000.
By the way this is Goverment owned land as well!
Once again, I would like to emphasize that all the recidences have been there between 300 years and 80 years, whilst the animal farms have ALL been constructed after 1990s.
MEPA 1967 aerial surveys confirm this.

Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.
John Kenneth Galbraith
The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that's out always looks the best.
Will Rogers
Man is a credulous animal, and most beleive something; in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones.
Bertrand Russel

Effie Carbonaro, after trying to decipher your message, I conclude that you are turning an 80 pig farm into a political do. What does PN have to do with it? There used to be a pig farm there in the past, and Maghtab itself was no pleasant place to build property. Yet these residents chose this site to build their homes. I can't understand why all the fuss about some pigs. I wouldn't really want pigs next to my home, but then, I wouldn't chose Maghtab for my home either.

The residents should not worry that much, Maltese pig farms do have a tendency to be converted into detached bungalows with swimming pools like the converted pig farms in Safi. All they have to do is bide their time till the next general elections.

The luxury I enjoy in Canada is that I can compare the beefs I read about in The Times to similar situations here.
The difference is that in Malta a big to do is raised about an 80 pig farm!
Here, the operation would probably be for an 8000 pig farm and yes, even if Canada is a million times larger than Malta, these problems still arise. Malta's size is a larger problem because distance to inhabited areas is much smaller. So, do away with farms? If these few homes were recently built apparently in the shadow of Mghatab, surely the owners were coping with the odours emanating from the dump but find a problem with 80 pigs.
I have some empathy for the turn of events for the residents but their selection of a site for their new homes should have been researched a bit better.

we are back to square one.when will these nation learn that pn is a party for the strong and gives a damm that simple people gets fumed over disgusting so called development.is the way you are taking control of mepa mr gonzi.

This is a reaction to people who have settled abroad such as mister Martinelli et al.
Some of these Maltese(!) -who are delighted that Malta is governed by the P.N. but prefer to reside abroad- have acquired such a superiority complex, that they feel competent to give us, locals, lessons on everything that passes their mind particularly who ought to govern Malta and on how to govern it .
These individuals probably do not contribute a dime to Malta’s exchequer hence they ought not to try to interfere in local politics.
Let them write to local papers; they may be ignored but help to fill the pages and entertain us.
But is it not pertinent that only those who pay local income tax ought to have a right to vote in Malta’s elections? Others who do not contribute to the local exchequer have no right to interfere by their vote on who should impose taxes in Malta.

Well said John Scerri, but in Malta 2008 it is not the Pig Fattening Farms that are hazardous, but the Pocket Fattening Pigs!

Someone should really point out to Dr Gonzi that "talk is cheap". When shall we see the MEPA reforms we were promised during the election campaign? And why in the world has the contruction of the Safi supermarket been allowed to proceed unhindered?

Putting it kindly - The question of distance is irrelevent here.
It is suggested for MEPA to review and update their policies and refer to sites as the one stated below before going one step further in this development.
Mepa Policies should and must be updated according to research regarding environmental hazards to humans irrespective of where they might come from.
Below is the website from which i extracted parts regarding 'Hazards from pig fattening farms'.
A lot more information exists on this topic which if looked into prior to the decsion being taken would have surely had MEPA officers think twice .

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-111200672.html
EXTRACT
'Pig-house dust originates from feed, bedding, feces, and the animals themselves.
If the animals receive drugs such as antibiotics, residues of these substances may occur in manure, in the air, or on surfaces of the respective animal house.
In a retrospective study, we investigated dust samples collected during two decades from the same piggery for the occurrence of various antibiotics.
In 90% of these samples, we detected up to five different antibiotics, including tylosin, various tetracyclines, sulfamethazine, and chloramphenicol, in total amounts up to 12.5 mg/kg dust. High dust exposure in animal confinement buildings is believed to be a respiratory health hazard because of the high content of microorganisms, endotoxins, and allergens.
Further risks may arise from the inhalation of dust contaminated with a cocktail of antibiotics. Apart from that, our data provide first evidence for a new route of entry for veterinary drugs in the environment'
'Large-scale pig production represents a considerable source of dust (Hartung 1997, 1998; Pedersen et al. 2000). This results both in high dust exposure for farmers and farm workers in animal confinement buildings, causing respiratory health hazards (Iversen et al. 2000; Nowak 1998; Platz et al. 1995; Radon et al. 2002), and in emissions of dust particles into the environment by way of the exhaust ventilation air (Hartung 1995; Seedorf and Hartung 2002). About 85% of the dust from animal confinement buildings consists of organic material, including protein (from pig skin), animal feed, endotoxins, fungi, and bacteria (concentrations of up to 50 million colony-forming units per gram of dust) (Hartung 1997).

All animal farms in the Maltese islands should be investigated and studies should be carried out combined with research to see if in this day and age they can still remain where they are.
We have old animal farms which have become a burden and need to be relocated in areas where they do not pose hazards of any kind to humans living in the vicinity.

Does Mr Mario Mercieca have any idea of what is going on? The PM has taken it upon himself to sort out MEPA, so the government is very much involved.
Besides, it is pointless speculating on what would have happened had the MLP been in government. It is not.

This appears another case of MEPA sticking to its rule books when it is convenient to do so (ie in favour of development - ANY development). Let us not forget that the PM promised "ODZ is ODZ" in those heady pre-election days, and I for one expect the man to stick to his word even if it means (and it should mean) less and less development in the few open spaces left. Discounting ten residents who presumably were there first in favour of 80 new-on-the-block pigs is planning worthy of places south of the Sahara - if at all. I seem to remember this same sort of argument was used (dont believe MEPA was the culprit though) when a fireworks factory which notoriously blew up with loss of life last summer was permitted to operate next to ten or less inhabitants because...ten inhabitants do not form an inhabited area.
The MEPA motto says "ghall-bniedem u ghall-ambjent"
Three Oinks to MEPA for that.

I think the government's policy should be to try and allow farm proliferation wherever possible if we're to save what rural areas we have left - and if rich people go and build a couple of villas in rural areas, it's their own fault if pig farms crop up. But this implication that living beside a farm is in some way dangerous to people's health is wrong - modern farms have biosafety measures that ensure hygiene. otherwise their bacon would never be allowed to reach our plates.

I would not mention politics in an issue like this.

I would never allow a pig farm within 20 meters of a residential area, regardless of the amount of people living there and regardless of their political beliefs!

To Mr.John Portelli.
Did you suggest to mepa any new location for the pig farm like say Bidnija.Of course away from someone particular residence!

It seens that MEPA is at it again. Wasn't it suppose to be monitored? Business as usual .

Would the pig farm be built if 99 people were living in the vicinity? just curious. Which goes to show that people are reduced to statistics where the law is concerned.

I suggest that Mr Martinelli only be allowed to comment on local issues once he starts paying his income tax here.

Would such a situation be allowed to happen in Canada Mr Martinelli?

I also suggest that the owners of the houses take up the matter in Court and if need be to the ECJ and the European Court of Human Rights and in the meantime hold the MEPA persons who are taking the decisions personally responsible for any damages and expenses that they may incur.

After all, the MEPA boards are not constituted by abstract persons and the law in Malta clearly states that every person is responsible for his/her actions.

Stand up for your rights and start suing to protect them.

As the undertaker told the Beadle, "If that's what the law says, then the law is an ass!" The Mepa policy being cited as an excuse to allow this aberration of justice is definitely more than an ass. How about fairness and common sense? How about health department rules? Don't they apply to humans as well as pigs?

I am very tempted to say that we'd all better stop criticising MEPA and its Chairman else we may end up with a form of boycott like the one leveled at FAA some time ago...

As for Joe Martinelli's question regarding MEPA reform, I believe that many people and even NGOs have provided ample lists of actions which need to be taken to fix the miserable and contentious situation of development in Malta.

My first and immediate suggestion - as posted elsewhere in this site - is for MEPA not to accept applications on ODZ or otherwise protected land since this is creating most of the problems:

Either land is protected or it is not and I cannot understand how MEPA's DCC or Board can overturn ODZs when these were so designated by Cabinet / Parliament.

There other areas of concern such as the inanity of Planning Appeals - in instances where the DCC Boards grant permits despite Case Officers and Planning Directorate (and other entities) recommend for a refusal of the issuing of a permit and then MEPA has to stand in (and not the DCC Boards) to justify the DCC's decision.

But worse of all, in my opinion, is the sheer lack of consideration for third party rights: It is not enough to place clauses such as 'saving third party rights' on permits. People have died because of cowboy construction practices and no apparent action was taken.

Where shall it end?

Of course you whiners this permit would have not been granted had the Mlp be elected. The goverment should not intervene in Mepa decision making. When that happens we would have turned back the clock.

Mr Joe Martinelli, why don't you come back to Malta?

Environment and development conflicts are not easy to resolve. It appears that it is time for MEPA to recruit a couple of people trained in conflict analysis and resolution, possibly with expertise on the environment and development.

Perhaps the residents and/or the owners of the houses concerned, the promoter of the pig farm, and the appropriate MEPA officials could meet in an informal private meeting and try to find a win-win solution. Public meetings are not conducive to finding the right solution. Public meetings should be the last stage to inform the community that everything is being done above board and to consider any other implications that might have not been considered in an earlier stage.

Why can't the authorities and the people concerned begin to look for integrative solutions instead of negative zero-sum outcomes?

Well, we've been there with the Marsascala residents and the recycling plant which houses all the trash and smell of the islands. I don't recall the Maghtab residents objecting to this, so I find nothing wrong with them having a pig farm close to their house as we have a monster next to ours.

I would solve the MEPA issue by appointing Mr. Joe Martinelli as new chairman, I’m pretty sure that with his perspective of tackling such problems all mishaps will vanish!!

Dear Martinelli, try doing this in a democratic and civilised country like the United Kingdom? Have you never been abroad to realise that we are now living in a stinking matchbox? In any case, have you actually visited the residents to hear their issues dear Sir? Any suggestion where one might find a place to live in today’s Malta without finding oneself living near a dump a few years later?

They can thank their lucky stars it is a pig farm and not a fireworks factory like the one in Xwieki limits of gharghur. The houses where there before the fireworks factory and it has blown up three times so far. Residents never got any compensation for damages they incurred.

when considering the Ghar id-dud and Qui is sana Car Park projects MEPA was much more concerned about the effect this would have on the bats in the caves than the effects of the traffic and fumes on the residents. Sidelining residents rights has long been established MEPA policy. We were hoping for a change!

Everyone on this forum should stop wasting their time criticising Joe Martinelli. The day he accepts even the slightest flaw in the PN government or any of its organs, is the day hell will freeze over. Even senior media PN friends of mine are embarrassed by his blind loyalty, as he surveys the fabulous performance of the PN government from his privileged vantage point....... in Canada.

Dear Mr Martinelli this is for a second pigfarm so the houses came first,so obviously there is no room for it

Clearly what is wrong here is not Mepa's policies on pig farms or their enforcement, but their definition of 'inhabited area'. There is the same problem regarding the distance from fireworks factories. If an activity is dangerous, unhealthy or unpleasant, this will be the case whether there are 100 people or 1 living there.

Please be reasonable in this! If everyone had this NIMBY attitude we would go back to the Stone Age........It's Maghtab for God's sake.....WHAT DREAM HOME! it's a farming community/area. Keep it real. I was brought up on a 400 acre farm with the nouveau riche screaming blue murder when the farm wanted to expand (In UK) tough....What do we do? Import all our livestock and food requirements and expect the subsequent price hikes....

First of all I would like to clarify some of the points from the below statements as I am one of the concerned residents and thus was present for the meeting.
1 It is correct to state that the MEPA Chairman stated so, but in the evaluation process the Chairman led the discussion into the conclusion by ignoring the new policy document.
2 The "MEPA Agriculture, Farm Diversification and Stables - Policy and Design Guilines" approved only last December 2007 by the Hon Minister George Pullicino, clearly states that :
"POLICY 1.3B: AMENITY
In considering applications for development permission, the Authority will seek to protect the amenity of the surrounding areas, particularly any nearby dwellings and/or public open space. MEPA will not permit proposed development which, in its opinion, would cause an unacceptable conflict with adjacent legitimate activities."
The Residential homes are ALL legally built and long before the existance of any animal farms in the vicinity. MEPA surveys evidently show this.
3 POLICY 2.3C: NEW OR RELOCATED LIVESTOCK FARMS:
(4) the proposed development is not located within:
(b) a distance of 183 metres from an inhabited area or an area which is intended for residential, residential institutions, hotels, education, assembly or leisure buildings, or tourism development, as specified in the Animal Welfare Act (2002), or any subsequent amendment thereof;

I can state several other policies which have been infringed by granting of this permit and we, the residents will be taking all necessary action to protect our home and families.
This approved PIG farm, is literally behind citizens’ established residences, clearly creating a health hazard and violating our fundamental human right to the enjoyment of our property. This outline permit violates established planning policies, and is therefore in violation of Article 33 of the Development Planning Act, and should not be allowed under any circumstance.
The MEPA DCC board when conducting a site inspection, noted that they found this development as highly objectionable but this fact was shoved aside today. Basically, PIGS have more rights than Maltese Citizens.
Thank you MEPA, you have just ruined the lives of three Maltese Families.

Is this the reform that Prime Minister Gonzi said he will be doing! Were these families or i don't know how many nationalists after all!! If yes, they got a bit of their own medicine

According to M Micallef there is a very simple solution: Remove Mepa altogether. However, as usual, there was no mention of any sensible alternative. Maybe an alternative that pleases M Micallef would be to call back some ex-Labour Minister to decide for us instead of Mepa!

Oh dear please no more mud-slinging! This is a U-Turn, which is probably going to U-Turn again to show how fair we now are and that honesty and reform have started. It's like creating Maghtab and then spending millions to amend it. Remember that MEPA was invented by the PN so as to get rid of 'once and for all' corruption, wrongdoings, nepotisms, etc and to create more transparency and fairness. Now MEPA reminds me of the fall of any wrong (won't dare use the word 'corrupt') empire. We need something new and with a different name but under new, honest, moral and ethical governance.

To Joe Martinelli:
It seems to me that the houses are there now... while the pig farm is a proposed project...so the houses existed before the farm. Now what? The farm should not be developed? And what about other controversial projects? One that comes to mind is the Recycling plant, where this was developed within a few tens of metres from inhabited areas and the houses were there much before the plant existed....no compensation was given to residents for their property's devaluation and all the inconveniences associated with the plant!

To joe MArtinelli:-
"Had you the responsibility of MEPA reform, where would you start?"

my reply is simple:-
Close it; The same way the government is considering to close the drydock - he should close MEPA and start all over again. It is underachieving and scandalous - so should be closed.

What is to be expected from this arrogant government GonziPN? The same thing is happening all over again once the election is over - THEY START TREATING PEOPLE WORST THAN PIGS!!!!!

It is incredible how controversial applications submitted to MEPA are still being processed given that (MEPA) reform has just started.

This state of affairs is unacceptable. Development applications stirring up controversy and objections exist should be put on the back burner until, at least, the reform starts taking shape.

In this sense, the Prime Minister must set clear timeframes for MEPA reform.

I sympathise with these unfortunate residents. Imagine after spending a fortune on a dream house in the countryside and then Mepa approves a permit for a pig sty as my next door neighbours.
Mepa Chairman should have granted the permit on condition that these residents are adequately compensated for the devaluation and degrading of their property.
Would Mr Andrew Calleja abided by the ploicies if the pig farm was to be at his backyard?

This isjust the first sour taste of 'Together, everything is Possible'' policy being adopted in MEPA. Time will prove how easily electoral pledges turn out to be just smoke screen.

For those crying foul (with apologies to the swine) , I would like to pose a question or two:
Had you the responsibility of MEPA reform, where would you start? To suit the few residents and deny the pig farm permit would be 'business as usual' would it not? This is not business as usual but a starting point. Unfortunately if it does not suit the residents, it is the policy that has to change - blaming MEPA or the PM is just a cop out or a politically biased ploy.
The second question is: Who was there first, the pig farm or the houses? If it was the pig farm, then the homes were built there without much foresight and whoever built there took a risk of finding themselves in the situation they find themselves in now.
Reforming MEPA and its policies cannot be accomplished in a couple of weeks, unless of course, the complainers themselves have better, faster ideas which will work to everybody's satisfaction.

Spot On R BORG .This is only the start .

It is very tempting in this case to refer to our Orwellian knowledge and state that some pigs are indeed more equal than others.

I believe it is quite a remarkable achievement for MEPA's Chairman to now start referring to established policies and I have a feeling this statement may as yet be used over and over again to haunt MEPA in the immediate future.

I think common sense - and fairness - should dictate that if pig farms (a) cannot be located 200m from inhabited areas of over 100 people and (b) cannot be located within 100m of other pig farms, I think there is merit in consider 20m as being an unfair and risky distance from the residences of current inhabitants. - be they 100 or less.

This is yet another pot-hole served to our PM's road to rebuilding MEPA.

Everyone knew what was going to happen after the election. Now we will get whipped for four and a half years in the last six months they will show us how we can work and live together, back to vote PN again cause together everything is possible. So please stop whining now.

Since when is MEPA following established policies? This really takes the cake. Unfortunatley more of the same.

Mepa chairman Andrew Calleja said Mepa could not go against established policies.

I humbly ask did MEPA go against established policies when someone was given a permit to build a supermarket in Kirkop? Again did MEPA go against established policies when some one else was awarded a permit to build a night club/discoteque in Mistra?!...Once again did MEPA go against established policies when another person was warded a permit to build 4 villas with pools instead of his pig farm in Safi?

Mr. Andrew Calleja I would be very happy if you were to kindly reply to my questions.

Well done Mepa. Thank goodness Dr Gonzi started the mepa reform. Finally permits are being approved according to policies. Good riddens to those days where permits where issued against policies such as safi farm being changed to villas in odz and such as supermarket permits odz and such as mistra case. We look forward to this continuation of goodness by Dr Gonzi being its head and really looking forward to enforcement law for mepa to remove illegal buildings. Soon we will be seeing the supermarket going down and safi villas being demolished. well done dr gonzi you are the saviour of Malta.