MEPA, NGO argue over Attard open space

The Malta Environment & Planning Authority (MEPA) ithis afternoon categorically denied that the parcel of land known as Ta’Fgieni, in Attard (Near Villa Bologna) was ever earmarked as a green area or public open space.

Reacting to comments by Flimkien ghal Ambjena Ahjar (FAA), which is backing residents' calls for such open space, the Authority said that prior to the formulation of the local plan in 2002 this parcel of land was identified as a car park and not as a public open space.

When in July 2002 the draft local plan was issued for public consultation part of this land was indicated for development. The draft local plan always showed the intention for this area of land to be developed.

During the public consultation period and subsequent to that, the Authority never received a request or submission either from residents or the Attard local council objecting to this area policy. Neither did the Authority ever receive a request from the local council for this parcel of land to be turned into a public garden.

In the approved local plan that was published in July 2006 the rezoning of this area included a street between the indicated development and the walls of Villa Bologna and a green area around the castellated tower adjacent to the wall. The permitted development in this parcel of land is for a semi-basement, 3 floors and a penthouse.

The local plan did consider and safeguard the need for open spaces in the locality of Attard, infact beside a number of other open spaces in the area, some metres south of this land there is another open space that has been identified as a green area.

On this particular case the Audit officer commented that MEPA acted diligently when it slightly amended the zoning after the public consultation exercise. Infact related to this issue the courts found that there was nothing illegal with the rezoning of this area.

"The Authority will evaluate all development planning applications in accordance with the established plans and policies. The local plans are an approved policy documents that can get revised after two years from their publication", MEPA said.

The FAA said it was Attard Local Council which had repeatedly assured members of the public that the area would be landscaped as a Public Open Area or recreational area. MEPA's own maps showed it in turn as an widening of the road and a car parking area, while the one attached above which clearly proposed part of the area as a green area.

"It is due to all these conflicting designations that the residents were not fully informed of the situation at the time of the revision of the Local Plans.

"However the fact remains that the residents had made their wishes clear to both the Local Council and MEPA in a petition submitted to both, and which was recorded in MEPA's Ta' Fgieni file."