Nature Trust (Malta) yesterday expressed “serious concerns” that the number of outside development zone applications lately being approved by the Planning Authority commission was very high.

Reacting to a story published in The Sunday Times of Malta, Nature Trust also said it was concerned about the recent claims made in the media that the site proposals for a racing track would be launched in the coming weeks and that the track would be planned outside the development zones.

READ: More ODZ permits approved last year than in previous 10 years

“Although ODZ should be protected, these areas are being raped on a daily basis by the same authority that is duty-bound to enforce the law and regulate development,” it said in a statement.

The protests held against the abuse of ODZ areas in June 2015 was one of the largest protests in recent years.  Since then, pressure on ODZ has continued incessantly with developers proposing old people’s homes or luxury tourist accommodation under the pretext that the land in question was degraded.

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