Mepa’s Environment and Planning Commission B this afternoon approved an application for the building of a Lidl supermarket and associated facilities including surface parking at Ta’ Zejta, just outside Xewkija.
The application had been resisted by environment groups, with Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar saying it contradicted Mepa’s own policies.
Astrid Vella, of Flimkien Għal-Ambjent Aħjar, said the small shops were keeping the village cores alive and Mepa had specific policies that protected them.
A group of shop owners said this new supermarket would be a hard hit for them.
“We can't leave these monsters come here as many jobs will be lost. We will end up eating each other. We wait for carnival and Easter for the Maltese to come up to Gozo,” one said.
The decision was postponed last June after the developers were asked to draw up a retail impact report and, earlier in May, to address safety issues for vehicles entering and leaving the site.
The main concern was that the large refrigerated trucks transporting supplies to the German supermarket chain might also not be able to manoeuvre inside the site, creating further problems.
During the hearing, architect Carmel Cacopardo said the retail impact assessment held as part of this application did not consider the impact which the supermarket would have on surrounding towns or other areas of Gozo. More than 60 per cent of the impact would be on small shops outside Victoria.
"The report is incomplete. It only covers 40 per cent of the impact. I expected the case officer to send it back or recommend for refusal. This is unacceptable, he said.
The vote was three in favour and one against.
The supermarket will be built on a 4,800 square metre site.
Of this, 70 per cent falls within the development limits of Xewkija Industrial Estate, while a remaining triangular area is outside the development zone.
The supermarket structure will take up around 50 per cent of the area while the scheduled part will have “soft landscaping” through the planting of scattered trees.
See also http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130211/local/faa-hits-out-at-xewkija-lidl-plans.457178