FAA criticises approval of chicken farm in nature site
Environment NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar has criticised Mepa for its approval of a massive industrial chicken broiler unit producing 14,400 chickens annually without proper investigation. It said the structure was built abusively in the Wardija Natura 2000 site.
"The proviso that landscaping is to be provided is risible when this huge eyesore can be seen from all the surrounding hills," FAA said.
"What is the point of giving a Natura 2000 designation, the highest degree of ODZ protection, to this area of great natural beauty and ecological importance if it is not accompanied by the equivalent protection? Why is the Natural Heritage Advisory Committee not being consulted on any of these applications?
FAA said it welcomed recent Mepa initiatives to stop stop development at al-Marga valley in Qala, Gozo and Wied il-Ghasel, Mosta, but asked how much longer MEPA and NGO resources were to be wasted processing abusive applications.
It also criticised the application for the building of a supermarket in a valley near Xewkija.
It recalled that in 2007 it had opposed a similar application just four fields further down in this same valley.
"This is now the site of an ECO-Gozo valley project to clean the valley and create a water catchment area as a spring surfaces there and supports local indigenous flora. When FAA objected to the first project on the grounds of water catchment the DCC board had dismissed this argument. Recently an illegal road has been laid across this valley to give better access to the supermarket project. What steps are being taken to remove this road, return the land to its original state and levy heavy penalties on the abuser? the NGO asked.
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Joe Micallef
Jul 14th 2011, 14:57
MEPA seemingly is getting tired and needs a rest!!
With MEPA logic the big fish seemingly gets what they want and MEPA shows its mettle with the minnows!!
It is usually televised as well to reminf us of its muscle power with the defaulters!
Its a lose lose situation for Malta environment- At this rate the 'Tree for you campain' will soon fold under having nowhere to plant saplings!!
Elaine Debono
Jul 13th 2011, 22:11
An area desinated as a Natura 2000 site 'is an EUwide network of nature protection areas established under the 1992 Habitats Directive. The aim of the network is to assure the long-term survival of Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats ... emphasis will be on ensuring that future management is sustainable, both ecologically and economically.The establishment of this network of protected areas also fulfils a Community obligation under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity'.
Could MEPA please explain how a chicken 'farm' bang in the middle of this area could help protect valuable and threatened species and habitats while ensuring an ecologically sustainable future? It seems money speaks louder and louder these days!
Mr Simon Camilleri
Jul 13th 2011, 20:30
It is amazing that such an industry should be given a permit to operate in what is meant to be a pristine zone. Business as usual at MEPA. Not much has changed in reality.
Joe A. Borg
Jul 13th 2011, 19:02
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/11137868/neighbors-file-suit-against-smelly-neighbor?redirected=true
"Attorney Michael Galligan filed a class-action lawsuit of behalf of the residents. It alleged the plant "generates noxious gases, smoke, dust, fumes and odors." That neighbors are "nauseated by them, disturbed in their sleep and forced to stay indoors to diminish the stench"
Susan Mompalao de Piro
Jul 13th 2011, 19:02
The amount of effluent (= stinky, liquid, acid chicken shit) produced by relatively small chicken farms in Maghtab was quite incredible. Neighbouring fields were contanimated. A farmer we knew used to sleep at his mother's place because his own place was downhill from the farm.
Joe A. Borg
Jul 13th 2011, 18:45
Why are we still granting new permits for farms, especially chicken farms whenn his industry is on the decline?
The answer is very simple.
1 Permits for farms are hardly ever refused, even if this is located next to residents in an ODZ with the recommendation of the various institution.
2 MEPA always blames this on the various governmental institutions as they recommended it positively. (Common sense!!)
3 Because once this venture fails, this can be converted into practically anything by applying for a change of use, and BINGO, you have a rich man (or woman) overnight.
4 An election is only a few months away and we have already started an election campaign.
Emanuel Muscat
Jul 13th 2011, 18:18
So what about the meat needed to feed all of us plus tens of thousands of big dogs,some of them even held in people's arms while crossing perfectly safe roads, instead of babies!
Obviously these dogs are being bred on an industrial scale:look at walks in our diminishing countryside,full of dog droppings while all around are dog bins that are not used.They go out with their dogs to these places at sun up so nobody can criticize what they are doing :does the countryside belong to these people?
Is it not enough that the dogs mark all lamp posts with their urine and some of their owners even have the gall to allow their dogs to use the little greenery in public squares as their toilet!
No wonder 25 per cent of the British population sleep with their pets!
Can the ramblers association illuminate us,please?
Colin Stanley
Jul 13th 2011, 17:43
The eyesore that I can see in the photo, is all those flats not that shed between the trees.
Tony Caruana
Jul 13th 2011, 17:54
Exactly but it seems the FAA where different Glasses from mine
Joe A. Borg
Jul 13th 2011, 18:55
How Funny you are! If Mepa has just approved the farm how can you see the farm in this picture?Or maybe you can see the future?
Astrid Vella
Jul 13th 2011, 20:50
Mr. Stanley, we are only too aware of the over-development at Xemxija which featured in an article of ours just two weeks ago: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110628/opinion/The-effects-of-overdevelopment.372834
Mr. Joe Borg: the farm is the large hangar-like structure in the photo. The EPC has accepted it as being legal although it never had a permit and show up in pre-Mepa aerial photos of 1988. The recent permit covers additions for a manure clamp which the broiler unit never had, so you can imagine the amount of pollution it created.
Joseph Borg
Jul 13th 2011, 17:36
Come on FAA!! Don't be silly! That's how businesses generate money. This is a typical local generating money business. Let them work in peace. What sort of pollution will it generate, I may ask? It's better than a polluting power station or a luxury skyscraper.
Paul Borg
Jul 13th 2011, 17:52
Businesses have no place in a Natura 2000 site which, at most, can make us good money by attracting much-needed tourists to Malta, rather than putting them off because everywhere is built up, even Natura 2000 sites like this and the Natura buffer zone at Mgiebah (fish processing plant there, is this a new trend?).
What sort of pollution would a farm of 14,400 chickens create? Are you joking? Have you never seen the droppings in a chicken coop of just half a dozen chickens? There is not even a proper road to this place, just an illegal concrete track (more illegalities!) so where do you think the manure of all those chickens has been going all these years?
Mr M Mamo
Jul 13th 2011, 18:20
Paul, when did tourists start coming to Malta to see Natura 200 sites?
Bernard Storace
Jul 13th 2011, 18:39
Mr. J. Borg, it seems that you are not aware of the term 'nibbling'. Give a child a biscuit and s/he will nibble away slowly until the biscuit disappears. Fortunately for the child s/he can cry or ask for another biscuit and the odds are s/he will be given one. But, and here lies the major difference, when MEPA in its "wisdom" insists on allowing or sanctioning factories, supermarkets, bus depots and chicken farms and more on ODZ (outside developement zone) land, the time will come when greed, because it boils down to that because only a very few will profit and they are the ones who are really not in dire need, will turn our (what was once) beautiful Malta into one great mass of built up land. Not fit for habitation let alone for us/you to bring up your chilldren. Pleaase stop and think of the future. Do we as responsible citizens really want no open spaces, no green areas to rest the eyes on, no trees so that the air we breathe can be purified naturally and so on. Are we not entitled to open spaces; what is so different between us and the rest of the world?
anton borg
Jul 13th 2011, 19:21
True, but you don't seem to realise that allowing an illegal development sets a precedent; you will find, i expect, that residential units begin to appear on this site sometime soon on the basis of precedent.
Astrid Vella
Jul 13th 2011, 20:55
Actually Mr. Paul Borg is correct. Tourists do come to Malta for our Natura 2000 and other nature sites. As Ramblers who have a constant flow of inquiries. This is a niche market that the MTA is keen to expand and would certainly render more for the whole nation than this set-up which only provides abusive profits, as this is an industrial set-up which should have been built on a legal site. Of course that would cost much more than occupying someone else's land illegally, as this case is in court for that reason too.
Elaine Debono
Jul 13th 2011, 22:18
Mr M Mamo tourists have come to these islands to see various natura 2000 sites throughout the years .... these sites include areas like:
1. Ramla Area in Gozo
2. Ghar Dalam in Malta
3. Cittadella in Gozo
4. Ghadira Area in Malta
5. Filfla
6. Dwejra, Gozo
7. St. Paul's Islands, Malta
8. Ta Cenc, Gozo
As to WHEN they started coming to see these sites, I'm sorry, but I really do not know how to answer that.
Paul Borg
Jul 13th 2011, 17:20
While it is true that the new system of MEPA screening has reduced the number of unsuitable applications, it is obviously not enough, in the light of the abusive applications by Arriva and Lidl, both applying to build on virgin agricultural land Outside the Development Zone (ODZ).
For many years the Authorities have pledged that applications that are clearly in violation of MEPA regulations will be immediately rejected to prevent the waste of MEPA’s precious time and resources. For some reason this has not been implemented and our countryside and urban conservation areas are still under threat from unsuitable development. FAA urges the Authorities to enact this regulation with urgency, so that all resources can be employed to process without delay bona-fide applications like the conversion of old properties which enhance Malta’s characteristic towns and villages.
riccardo borg
Jul 13th 2011, 17:12
It looks like nobody at MEPA lives around here in this area and is subjected to the awful smells that come with this type of industry depending with where the wind is blowing.
So who cares? I'm alright jack!
suzanne vassallo
Jul 13th 2011, 19:26
MEPA screening? indeed...