Matthew Xuereb
Lidl proposes ODZ supermarket in Xewkija
The supermarket has been earmarked for the area known as Ta’ Żejta in Xewkija.
Supermarket chain Lidl has submitted an application with the planning authority to open its first outlet in Gozo in an outside development zone area in Xewkija.
The chain, which already boasts five supermarkets in Malta, is proposing a store covering a large area in a zone known as Ta’ Żejta in St Leonard Street. Sources said Lidl would buy the property only if the permit was granted.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) is receiving submissions from the public until Friday.
Lidl is seeking a permit to erect a shed – like many of its other supermarkets in Malta – as well as ancillary facilities, including a surface parking area.
Applications for Lidl supermarkets in Malta in the past were dogged by controversy, especially after Mepa gave the green light for two of its outlets in Luqa and Safi. In both cases, Mepa’s Development Control Commission was criticised by the authority’s internal auditor, Joe Falzon.
A board of inquiry set up in 2009 to recommend whether further action should be taken against Mepa over its handling of the Lidl supermarket in Safi found no evidence of collusion, but said they interpreted guidelines in a “loose” manner.
The application had been filed by developer Charles Polidano on behalf of the Lidl chain and the construction of the supermarket was approved in April 2007. In his report on the project, Mr Falzon had described the go-ahead for the development on land outside development zone as a “gross irregularity”.
Mr Falzon had lambasted the board for unanimously approving the project, despite a recommendation for refusal by the Planning Directorate.
The report concluded such a permit should never have been issued on land outside the development zone. The report had led to the resignation en masse of the Development Control Commission in February 2008.
On its website, Lidl says it is constantly seeking to expand its network of outlets and was therefore willing to consider purchasing or leasing of land which had to have an area of approximately 6,000 square metres, to place a shop floor area ranging between 900 and 1,400 square metres as well as parking facilities, preferably on shop floor level, for between 80 and 120 cars.
The chain opened its first Lidl outlet in Germany in 1973 and quickly spread throughout the country during the 1980s.
During the 1990s, it developed its store network throughout Europe and now has more than 9,000 stores in 27 European countries.
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Mrs Janet Bayes
Jul 19th 2011, 12:59
The report in Sunday times said that the mepa report says the land is ODZ, but it actually is not. So before we all jump on the bandwagon about whether Lidl should be allowed to build or not, we need to establish the facts dont we?
I bet some here complaining about Lidl even being allowed to consider coming to Gozo will be among the first customers on the door when the shop opens. Surely we are all entitled to have the same rights of choice as a person living in Malta?
Angele Gauci
Jul 12th 2011, 10:14
A. Gauci.
I cannot understand why this area is being considered as ODZ when there is already a lot of building not only next to it but also in front of it .
In my opinion, LIDL has chosen the ideal site in Gozo within reach of all Gozitans, and above all, without any parking problems.
Yes please LIDL, do come to Gozo as soon as possible, not only for the benefit of shoppers most of whom are presently making sacrifices to make ends meet , but also for those who are presently unemployed and for the hundreds of gozitans who have to cross over to malta everyday to earn their living as they cannot find a job in Gozo.
It is a fact that at present foreign/local investment in Gozo is non-existent. Any investment of this kind should be encouraged and be most welcomed by one and all.
-------------------------------
Anthony Grech
Jul 12th 2011, 15:27
@ A. GAUCI,
WE NEED ECO-GOZO!!!!!!, not ODZ Building, If You want LIDL, take Bus301 to the ferry,and cross to Malta, Use Public Transport,(Halli tkun moqdija zgur), We dont need illegal building in our country to satisfy few people
A. Agius
Jul 21st 2011, 07:19
What about those people who could loose their job when Lidl comes to Gozo? With the local supermarkets at least the money stays in Gozo; Lidl's money will go straight to Germany.
Mr david debattista
Jul 11th 2011, 13:07
@ w Cassar That is not right , the truth is that you will destroy them, all of them. As for value for money, my friend think again. I live in a country were we are surround by Lidl, Edeka, Penny, Norma, Marktkauf, Aldi, and Netto as for all the small shops irrespective of what they sell, they are things of the past. What I am telling you is fact . If you happen to be in some remote part of Germany and you come across a small family run business its like you are going back in time . FACTS MR CASSAR ..... What you and indeed all of us should be concerned with is Quality my friend, and any German will tell you that quality went down in all aspects of life . Sorry Germany but facts are facts in this respect ! One day I was in one of the so called value for money markets. I was at the fruit and vegitables section and beside me there was a lady with what turned out to be her grand daughter Look grandma they have grapes. Her grandmother tuned to her grand daughter and with a smile told her that they are coming from so and so and are full of chemicals which are dangerous for health. Such are the facts of life with some so called value for money issues Mr Cassar. I rather pay a little more or buy a little less then end up sick, in fact very sick in later life. Having said that can anything come close to some of our produce !!!!!!!!!!! Mr Cassar some of the above mentioned
markets are by no means cheap !!!
Mr Tony Camilleri
Jul 10th 2011, 22:51
STOP THIS DESTRUCTION OR GOOD AGRICULTURAL LAND.
Mr david debattista
Jul 10th 2011, 22:20
Hands off what little is left for all of us in Malta and Gozo . There are alot of empty factories in Xewkija
Booooo !
Billie Watson
Jul 11th 2011, 20:42
Alot of empty factories in Xewkija, but who in his right mind would want to live in that horrible part of Gozo, as far as i am concerned Xewkija is a dump
S Muscat
Jul 10th 2011, 20:53
Ehe tabilhaq Ghawdex bzonn il lidl ghandu!!! Kem hawn nies qatt ma raw xejn!! Xi dwejjaq ta pajjiz!! Nittinna kull m' hemm. Giovanna qeghda f'nasha u fiha ha tibqa. What an Eco-Gozo!!!
Mr david debattista
Jul 10th 2011, 22:24
Very well said S Muscat, It is one big Mafia Family, OMERTA is the religion of the island.
Mr joseph saliba
Jul 10th 2011, 18:50
I am all for the environment. But since the LiDl came to town I notice that the price of many a commodity went down or was stabilised. I prefer passing the dilemma to the proper authorities.
Tonio Bone
Jul 10th 2011, 18:13
Seriously? Outside the development zone? Is this so badly needed in Gozo? Is it possible there is NO derelict building that can be used for this purpose or brought down and rebuilt? Why is this application even being considered?
Elaine Debono
Jul 10th 2011, 16:51
Why ODZ? Don't we have enough buildings around? Why continue the massacre of what's left of our unbuilt environment? Why?
JJ Debono
Jul 10th 2011, 16:41
Gozo need more competiton regardless what some old folks who run a small corner shop would prefer, naturally their business will suffer to a certain extent, however there are others who are either quite rich cause they opwn properties(empty) and can afford to loose and there are others with a small familyat the bottom of the scale who would grab such opportunity to save on their weekly shopping. *Gozo need foreign investments or it will lose out. So i say don't cut the hand that feeds you, and one just cannot live by green belts and lime stones.
Mr Ivan Calleja
Jul 10th 2011, 14:47
If MEPA really wants to be credibel it should issue the REFUSAL straight away!! Put a moratorium on building in ODZ's in Malta and Gozo!! Enough please!
JJ Debono
Jul 10th 2011, 16:33
Are u talking from your point of you or are you talking on behalf of the hundreds of residents that would like to see some competiion on Gozo.
Mr Ivan Calleja
Jul 10th 2011, 17:23
I am talking from my point of view and from the law point of view!! If you speak about hundreds i can assure you there are thousands who would be against this development because it has been proposed in an ODZ. I have nothing against Lidl opening up a new oputlet in Gozo.....but definately NOT in an ODZ!! MEPA should refsue this application STRAIGHAWAY! Lidl should propose an alternative site which is within the building scheme!
Mr John Azzopoardi
Jul 10th 2011, 14:39
Today when you travel the triq ta Hamet from Rabat to Nadur or the secondary road form Xewkija to Qala via ghajnsielem all you see is poor planning and supposedly business that have destroyed one of the most gozitan landscapes where the land tends to be most fertile. On top of that, we have the racecourse eyesore as it was never properly fixed. Lets cut this nonsense of having supermarket built in ODZ areas. Lidl or no Lidl, we have so many supermarkets in Gozo that you would think we are in a New York City. Does anyone know how many supermarkets we have in Gozo today all near and next to each other. In Victoria's main road, we have 3 supermarkets practically next to each other. If someone needs to build a supermarket, why not use one of the empty factories dotting Xewkija. Enough of this land wasting in ODZs.
Gordon John Grech
Jul 10th 2011, 13:54
If this permit is not approved it would be a great disservice to Gozo. The area in question should never had been declared ODZ considering the developments just adjacent to it.
Mr James Tyrrell
Jul 10th 2011, 13:20
Lidl is a good store and will be a benefit to the Gozitan people, but please, why are they proposing to build in an ODZ?
Mr Ernest Vella
Jul 10th 2011, 13:01
Jekk ituhilhom ifisser...aqbad u ibni u ala biebek mill-Mepa...Wisq nibza li l-MEPA ha terga tfalli li taghmel dmirha
Christine Vella
Jul 10th 2011, 12:54
If they built it there, it will be a disgrace !!
Mr A Bonello
Jul 10th 2011, 12:40
We need a Lidl in RABAT MALTA!
Ivan Attard
Jul 10th 2011, 12:16
Lidl is needed in Gozo - BUT NEVER IN AN ODZ LOCATION.
Where is Giovanna blurting on about ECO-GOZO now????
Yes build Lidl in Gozo - but in another location where a permit exists! There should be no discussion about that should there?
Mr James Tyrrell
Jul 10th 2011, 13:17
Please give her time Ivan. Giovanna only gets to know what's happening in Gozo through the Sunday papers so obviously she hasn't had time to blurt yet!
Stephen Koludrovic
Jul 11th 2011, 12:21
@ James Tyrrell
apparently she is a slow reader, might take her some time to digest the news.
wendy isaac
Jul 10th 2011, 11:46
About blooming time too, why is only Malta thats seems to get all the benefits, we were even thinking of moving back to Madliena as going up and down to Lidl's is getting a bit of a drag now.
Sue De Nym
Jul 10th 2011, 11:43
Issa Ghawdex imiss? Halluh bi kwietu! Bizzejjed Malta meqruda bil-bini!
R Abela
Jul 10th 2011, 11:30
Possibli li ma hemmx post jew fabrika vojta fejn jista jsir dan il Lidl?
Mr Anthony Mifsud
Jul 10th 2011, 11:16
YES LIDL PLEASE COME TO GOZO!! WE NEED YOU!
Mr david debattista
Jul 11th 2011, 09:22
And what about all the small family grocers and butchers all over Gozo they close down. It will ruin their income. Gozo is a very very small island . But as long as we have Lidl in Gozo like they have in Malta WHO CARES.... ! VIVA ECO GOZO . Facts These small shops are a part of our colorful heritage in Malta and especially Gozo.........Hands Off !
Gozo is beautiful, but the mentality of some of its people is a cause for concern !
Mr W Cassar
Jul 11th 2011, 10:50
Mr David Debattista
What is wrong with getting value for money? Everything is expensive on the Maltese islands, plus.... there will always be room for the small grocer around the corner, but it will not be for the monthly shopping.
Tony Caruana
Jul 10th 2011, 11:10
ODZ OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT ZONE U BASTA.
JEW DAN JISTA ?
Mr Joe Gatt
Jul 10th 2011, 10:48
Stop encroaching on our ever dwindling countryside.
Build it somewhere else, but not in the Countryside.
Gozo``s diversity, has to be Preserved.
Danika Vella
Jul 10th 2011, 09:30
Why ODZ? Find somewhere else!!