The planning authority’s environment unit has objected to a request to shift a petrol station from Pietà to a protected area in Mosta, saying there was still no policy framework regulating fuel stations.

The Environment Planning Directorate reiterated a previous recommendation for refusing the development application, insisting it was “premature”.

It also objected to further open-ended commitments being made for new or extended petrol stations to be built in outside development areas.

While agreeing that moving the pump away from an urban area was beneficial, the directorate said this justification was being overstretched since the proposal extends “way beyond simple relocation of ‘like for like’”. It also envisaged a substantial enlargement and further development.

“It is not clear how it will have a beneficial impact on the agricultural areas surrounding the site,” the unit said.

There were still likely to be adverse impacts even after all the proposed mitigation measures were implemented, such as contamination of surface and ground water through spillage or leakages from the underground storage tanks and noise and dust generation during construction.

The proposal is to re-locate a kerb-side pump from Triq Marina, Pietà, to a section of an existing plant yard at Tal-Blata l-Għolja, Mosta.

The Mosta site is currently used for the storage and maintenance of heavy vehicles.

It lies in a rural conservation zone in an outside scheme area, surrounded by agricultural fields and with the closest residences about 175 metres away.

Under the proposal, some rooms will be demolished or relocated, the site landscaped and cleaned, and the yard upgraded and sanctioned.

The fuel station would cover an area of 3,931 square metres. The remainder of the site, amounting to 6,105 square metres, would continue to be used as a storage and contractors’ yard.

The station would have six pump units: two diesel fuel tanks of 60,000 litres capacity each and another of 30,00 litres, a biodiesel fuel tank with a capacity of 30,000 litres and an unleaded petrol fuel tank of 60,000 litres.