Mepa approves Poligas plant IPPC permit

The Poligas Plant in Luqa was this morning granted an environmental permit from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority against a number of conditions.

These include a financial guarantee of €11,500 and a €5,500 contribution to Mepa's the Environmental Fund.

The IPPC permit, for four years, regulates the management and operational conduct of the site. It was granted unanimously.

The plant is mainly used for the production of acetylene.

The board heard this morning that a fireworks factory nearby was 253 metres away. The buffer zone according to law is a minimum of 183 metres.

This morning, Mepa also postponed an application by Westin Dragonara for the development of a two-storey underground car park for 220 cars and public garden on top on the strip of public road adjacent to the hotel.

The application was recommended for refusal by the Planning Directorate because of Grade 2 scheduled wall on site which used to form part of fortifications that stretched along the coast.

The applicant had proposed a buffer zone around the wall so that it would not be touched.

However, the board noted this morning that the wall had been compromised when a service road to the hotel was constructed.

The board decided to postpone its decision to give the directorate time to draw up terms and conditions, without prejudice to any decision that would be taken by the board on the application.

The directorate had proposed that if the application is granted it should be accompanied by a high bank guarantee to protect the wall.