FAA welcomes recent Mepa decisions

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.