A site earmarked for a petrol station in Magħtab is situated in an “archaeologically-sensitive” area.
The proposed fuel station is “surrounded by known ancient tombs, catacombs, cart ruts and other landscape features such as a British period milestone,” the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage said in its comments on the environment impact report.
This area may lead to accidental discoveries, posing a threat to the cultural heritage
The report, compiled for the man behind the project, Paul Abela of Abel Energy, forms part of a planning application to demolish two derelict farmhouses and build a fuel station with an electric car charging station, car wash, shop, car mechanic workshop, stores and a parking lot that would take 17 cars.
The site is a triangular-shaped piece of land in Triq is-Salina and Trejqet l-Arznu, Naxxar, covering an area of 3,593 square metres and is just past the T’Alla w Ommu hill towards Magħtab.
The report listed four cultural heritage features in the site’s footprint, including two late-19th/early- 20th century farmhouse complexes and a rubble wall enclosing the site. The project includes demolishing the two farmhouses and the wall.
The superintendence said any development in “this area may lead to accidental discoveries, posing a threat to the cultural heritage”.
It did not take a stand against the development but pointed out that the area was covered in soil, so the “survival of archaeological remains cannot be excluded”. However, the impact report failed to evaluate the possibility.
The superintendence has requested a number of conditions to remove the risk of damaging any potential cultural remains, including an archaeological evaluation in line with the Cultural Heritage Act, before any permit is issued.
This was accepted by the applicant, who said that an archaeo-logical evaluation would be carried out before a permit was issued, adding that it could be included as a condition in the planning report.
However, the report highlighted the petrol station was not in line with the planning authority’s draft policy, which proposed that new facilities of this sort would be located outside village cores and away from residential areas.
Another impact identified in the report, that on the geo-environmental resources, is considered to be of major significance because the project requires the excavation of stone to build the fuel tanks.
The impact on landscape and visual amenity was also flagged.