Portomaso extension should be refused

Peter Gingell from Mepa (The Sunday Times, January 23), replying to my letter published the previous week, says that “it is impulsive of Mr Richards to insinuate that Mepa is about to grant planning permission for the enlargement of the Portomaso project when this planning application is still being screened to determine whether an EIA update is required”.

This statement is very strange, given that the drawings for this application under PA04096/09, appear on Mepa’s own website as being “recommended for approval”, and when Mepa’’s own natural heritage watchdog, the HAC (Natural Panel), stated unequivocally that “the panel cannot recommend approval of this application since one of the conditions in the permit for the Portomaso Complex had specified that this particular site should be conserved as an ecological enclave in line with the EIA. The ecological survey commissioned by the applicant also indicated the presence of species of flora and fauna with conservation value”.

Why, therefore, is an EIA update being considered, when the Ecological Zone identified in the original EIA for the whole project, and protected by the permits for Portomaso, will be totally destroyed by this permit application?

The application, which is clearly and completely flouting the conditions of the original permits, should be rejected outright.