Seven environment non-governmental organisations have demanded that the planning authority tomorrow turn down an application to build an electricity substation for the Armier boathouses.

...do what is reasonable, right and morally just, and throw out this application

The Enemalta substation, they argue, would serve a “squatters’ village”.

“Common sense instinctively guided the (planning authority) case officer to recommend an outright refusal of this application. Apparently, the case officer has a lot more sense than Enemalta, which should never have submitted this application in the first place,” the NGOs said in a strongly worded statement.They said the squatters were illegally occupying about 67,000 square metres of prime seafront real estate, falling Outside Development Zone.

“Enemalta, in their wisdom, have already supplied these 800 beach rooms with electricity, presumably without asking for a compliance certificate from Mepa, as they normally do for ordinary members of the public. Now Enemalta wants to strengthen the electricity supply so that these squatters will be better served.”

The NGOs are: Ramblers Association of Malta, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Malta Organic and Agriculture Movement, Nature Trust Malta, Friends of the Earth Malta and Birdlife Malta. It is not the first time NGOs have voiced strong opposition to the application. Yesterday, they demanded that the authority do “what is reasonable, right and morally just, and throw out this application”.

They noted that the planning watchdog had been acting “a little more responsibly” in withholding permits to applicants who are “blatantly abusing the system”.