FAA welcomes recent Mepa decisions
The public open space at Marsascala.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) has welcomed recent decisions taken by Malta Environment and Planning Authority boards that indicate an increased sensitivity to public interest and a social conscience.
FAA said that last Friday, Mepa refused a full application for the development of industrial garages in Maghtab. The site had been previously granted an outline development permit. The proposed development, which included the demolition of a disused rabbit farm and the construction of industrial premises, was deemed by the Mepa board to go against the public interest, as the development did not respect planning policies.
Mepa chairman Austin Walker said:
“While we respect the decisions taken by previous boards, the board takes decisions based on today’s planning policies and on the principle of sustainable development while making sure that permits are granted in the public interest.”
FAA said that had the project been approved, the project would have ignored completely and extended the hardships and health hazards that the residents of Maghtab have endured for years on end and which should have ended with the rehabilitation of the landfill.
Within the same week, other cases which FAA had successfully challenged included the building of a Lidl supermarket right across the Xaghra/Xewkija valley (see footprint at www.faa.org.mt/mepa_reform_hopefully).
While the supermarket building was planned within the building line, the car-park was to be totally outside the building zone, stretching across fertile agricultural land.
The developer’s architect, Joe Bondin acceded that the car park could be laid directly on the soil instead of being concreted over, however, FAA maintained that this would simply lead to later claims that that the ODZ land was ‘disturbed’ and could be built upon, as was the case with the Seabank car park.
Unlike previous ODZ permits granted to Lidl, the DCC Board ruled that the supermarket is to be built strictly within the building line with the car park accommodated underground or at roof level.
The same DCC Board A also heard the Marsascala case where the public open space has been bought for construction and annexed to a hotel (see www.faa.org.mt/mepa_reform_hopefully).
This is permitted by the local plans as long as the roof level of the four-floor development doubles as a public garden. Following submissions by FAA and the residents’ architect Carmel Cacopardo, the DCC again called for fresh plans to ensure the residents’ rights and accessibility to all.
On the heritage front, FAA objected to the demolition of one of the neo-Gothic houses overlooking Spinola Bay to make way for more apartments.
“It is gratifying to note that in spite of the many precedents in the area, Mepa dismissed this application.
“FAA calls for the scheduling and restoration of both Neo-Gothic houses, possibly the only surviving original houses in the il-Qaliet area, and urges the authorities to release the financial assistance to owners of scheduled houses promised in the last budget.”
The group said that while appreciating these decisions, FAA underlined the fact that Mepa’s commitment to reform and social responsibility would only be proven with the adjudication of projects where large speculative interests were at stake, such as the forthcoming hearing on the Hondoq Qala Creek development.
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18 Comments
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Joseph Grech
May 14th 2010, 01:38
Things are certainly moving in the right direction at Mepa under Dr. Mario deMarco and Austin Walker.
Well done to the (hopefully) new Mepa but certainly no thanks to Dr. Pullicino!
Thank heavens there are conscientious and hard-working environmentally minderd NGOs - FAA, Ramblers, etc.
Which reminds me: Is Din l-Art Helwa actively campaigning for the environment or is it just watching from the sidelines? Dr. Petra Bianchi please do pull your weight!
Stephen Rizzo
May 13th 2010, 21:49
Thanks to FAA and Perit Cacopardo this senseless project has been not been accepted.
I used to play with my bike when I was a kid here (20 years ago) but then it was closed to the public even if it should be a public space!!! Now the owner, who has bought the land at an incredible cheap price (since it was green area) wants to develop it and build apartments, as if there are no empty apartments in Marsaskala!!. Its important to say that the way the plans have changed from green area to partial development is not only very dubious but ............. ma tafx inti Malta tkellem 'l hemm u tkellem 'l hawn u certi nies jafu kif ghandhom jaslu.
Grazzi lil FAA tax-xoghol siewi li ghad ingawduh fit-futur. Viva Malta tal-Maltin u mhux tal-Ispekulatri
A. Xerri
May 13th 2010, 21:26
The forthcoming hearing on the Hondoq Qala Creek development, should never be held because the residents of Qala voted against this project in a referendum held by Qala Council and aproved by this Government. This project should have been scraped, democracy at its worst. Further more, read in the Times to day: One World: Habitats of the Maltese Islands ( 11 ), Freshwater Habitats- Watercourses. If Qala Creek Project at Hondoq Ir-Rummien is aproved, MEPA will be responsable for destroying this valley which is habitat for many animals and wild rare trees. The Government and MEPA , are they going to follow the United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year Of Biodiversity with other countries around the globe or are they going to give in to the developers and the chosen few?
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
May 13th 2010, 21:06
I perfectly understand your frustration at the many pre-decided projects of the past few years. In the case of the t'Alla w Ommu, "park", i would ask Edwin Vassallo, the PN candidate on this district to fill in on all the missing details.
MEPA was, is and will always be the perfect political toy. If all projects and applications are treated equally then I would believe MEPA is fair. But until certain permits inexplicably get approved and certain obscenities prevail, i still consider it to be totally dependent on political inclinations.
I have never managed to build a farmhouse at Bahrija and probably never will, wonder why?
James A. Tyrrell
May 13th 2010, 20:58
I would just like to echo all the good words here for FAA and Astrid Vella. I have been coming to Malta now for years and I have certainly noticed a difference since FAA was formed. Keep up the good work folks because you are certainly making a difference. I would also like to note that I am pleased MEPA is finally taking its role of environmental protection a lot more seriously than it did in the past, although whether this would have happened without the likes of FAA is another matter.
Adrian Borg Cardona
May 13th 2010, 19:02
I always find it rather odd that some person chides FAA for not objecting or doing something about a particular application. It seems that these people do not realise that FAA is run by volunteers with very limited resources. Instead of attacking the FAA, why don't YOU do something? It's very easy to expect others to do the dirty work for you. I hope that in future people will not demand action from FAA any more - but take action themselves. Or at least join the FAA as a member or send some contribution. Keep it up, FAA! People in their right senses can only be forever grateful to your great work.
paul buttigieg
May 13th 2010, 18:40
Well done Astrid and FAA.
If it wasn't for people like you and other ngo;s that literally work day and night to safeguard our birth given rights to enjoy our environment, we would be alot worse off by now.
God bless you
Stephen Vassallo
May 13th 2010, 15:47
Thanks to FAA finally we can rest assured that, at least, someone is watching over and fighting against all these exagerated, illegal, immoral and sometimes even corrupt development decisions and money sucking GIANTS.
Just imagine what Malta would be like by now without FAA !
All those proposed monsterous developments would have gone ahead without FAA !
God bless them and keep up the excellent work.
Henry J Bonett
May 13th 2010, 14:31
It is a measure of the hard work undertaken by FAA along the few years it has been in operation that these wins have been gained. What FAA needs are more members who can give a hand with things in order to obtain better results from Mepa, not armchair critics who point out the instances where FAA has not succeded despite its efforts.
adrian sciberras
May 13th 2010, 14:12
a very big YES to FAA!!!
Thanks to them our residents voices can finally be heard. Thanks to Astrid Vella and her team they are limiting the rampant development and exploitation and harrassing of one of the last few open spaces in Marsaskala.
Read here:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100509/environment/marsascala-residents-protest-against-proposed-development
Finally note that without FAA's contribution, our environment would have been destroyed much much earlier because our politicians/councillors stay mum on hot issues which are of local/national interest... for them ... Money comes first.
They don't care about our children's future. In twenty years time, with this rampant development, every place will be like central Sliema's (with all due respect to them) overdeveloped streets!
Susan Mompalao de Piro
May 13th 2010, 14:12
At last I have the impression that FAA is being taken seriously as the important environmental lobby group that it is. It is incredible how much awareness on environmental issues has been awakened by Astrid Vella and her team. MEPA is well advised to rethink at times and I am delighted that a critical approach is being implemented at Maghtab, where the inhabitants have surely suffered enough to date. I know, my father had a farm at Maghtab.
Astrid Vella
May 13th 2010, 13:32
UPDATE: the DCC A board has this morning refused to grant the sanctioning of stables, a fodder store, horse paddock area, manure clamp, underlying cesspit, water reservoir, rubble walls and gate, at Il-Wardija l/o Zurrieq etc. in wardija. This applicant had an outline permit but built abusively before a full permit was processed.
According to MEPA that means that the developer will have to remove all structures that do not have a full development permit.
These decisions should hopefully get the message across that MEPA is no longer prepared to tolerate the 'build now, sanction later' mentality which its previous tolerance encouraged. This is indeed a victory for every law-abiding citizen. If MEPA reform succeeds in also helping developers by speeding up the normal applications, this will truly be a win-win situation for all.
g. scerri
May 13th 2010, 12:47
The FAA, composed of relatively a few volunteers, tries hard to defend what falls within its stated remit. In defending citizens' rights, it has made some implacable enemies. But it cannot be held responsible for the many abuses that have taken place. Perhaps if more people were to provide what help they can, FAA can be made even more effective. More to the point, if more people were to join the many NGOs trying so hard to defend a decent quality of life for us and for those yet to come, then more abusive projects would be halted in their tracks. Democracy depends on the readiness of a people to safeguard it.
A. Grech
May 13th 2010, 11:26
I wonder if FAA is of the same openion that 'Planning Authority boards indicate an increased sensitivity to public interest and a social conscience' regarding MEPA permit numbet PA OO728/10.
Astrid Vella
May 13th 2010, 11:33
Mr Grech, the application "To use site for temporary storage of soil and rubble stone for reuse in goverment afforestation projects and to erect a chain link fence along the street alignment." has not been adjudicated by MEPA yet.
A. Grech
May 13th 2010, 11:59
Ms. Vella thank you and FAA for your interest.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
May 13th 2010, 10:43
FAA seems content that MEPA refused the development of industrial garages in Maghtab, and rightfully so, but ignore a full scale development in pristine agricultural land just a few hundred metres away:
Case Number: PA/03109/08
Location of development: Site At, Telgha t'Alla w Ommu, l/o Naxxar
Description of works: Construction of micro enterprise park comprising industrial garages, basement parking etc.
Applicant: Messrs.J Gatt & M.Scicluna
Architect: Micallef, Mr. Ludovico (Zurrieq)
Reception date: 19 June 2008
This development shares the full MEPA blessings and the complete silence of the FAA. The once agricultural land is now a mound of dust and legal construction activity.
CAN THE FAA EXPLAIN ITS SILENCE ON THIS ISSUE!
Astrid Vella
May 13th 2010, 10:56
Mark, FAA was not 'completely silent' on the case you mentioned. We objected to it very strongly, both in submissions to MEPA and directly with the authorities. However this seems to have been one of the many pre-decided projects of the past few years, much like the Rationalisation Plans to pass whole swathes of countryside like you mention, over for development, a case we are to this day fighting in court.