Updated: Residents fume as Mepa approves controversial pig farm

(Adds Mepa statement)

A group of 10 residents of Maghtab walked out of a Mepa boardroom in disgust this morning, saying they had been treated worse than pigs, after the authority's board approved development of a pig farm just 20 metres from their homes.

The farm, for 80 pigs, was approved despite a Mepa policy which lays down that pig farms cannot be closer than 200 metres from an inhabited area.

The case officer explained that both the Criminal Code and Mepa's own internal policies define an inhabitedarea as having at least 100 people. Since this group of houses did not have 100 residents, a pig farm could be located practically in their back yard, the residents were told.

Furthermore, since a policy of the Veterinary Department establishes that for health reasons, pig farms have to be separated by at least 100 metres, the new pig farm had to be moved closer to the residences than would otherwise have been needed, because of the presence of another pig farm near by.

"We would have been better off being pigs" a resident shouted during the meeting.

The residents also pointed out that there were other areas in Maghtab which could be used to house the pigs, notably abandoned former animal farms.

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

The residents walked out of the room in disgust after calling for common sense.

Mepa in a statement this afternoon said the outline permit was issued in accordance with all planning policies and regulations.

"This permit carries with it a number of conditions including a restrain on future expansion. The permitted development will be adjacent to another 10 operational farms," the authority said.

"For this application the planning directorate carried out the necessary consultation, as stipulated by law, with the Department of Public Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Services and the Malta Resources Authority which found no objection to this development.

"The development is situated in a rural area close to a number of other operational farms."

The authority said there were another 10 farms close-by.