The Liquefied Petroleum Gas depot is to be relocated to a disused quarry following the a decision by the board of hte Malta Environment and Planning Authority to grant a planning permit.

For years, the depot has been situated in the immediate vicinity of a residential area known as il-Qajjenza in the northern periphery of Birzebbuga.

The new gas depot, which will be situated in an area known as ix-Xoqqiet, adjacent to the Malta Freeport Terminal, will consist of cylindrical storage vessels, an administration block, a bottling plant, a distribution depot and a pipeline connecting the LPG bulk storage facility with the loading facility to and from the Oil Tanking depot.

This new pipeline facility will eliminate the current practice and inconvenience of large marine vessels entering Birzebbuga Bay carrying imported gas.

Mepa imposed a bank guarantee of €500,000 to ensure that the operation at Qajjenza will not only be transferred and terminated but all existing equipment gets dismantled. An environmental permit for the operation of the new depot is being processed by Mepa's Environment Protection Directorate.

During the meeting the Birzebbuga Council gave its support to this application and welcomed this positive decision.

The board also approved an outline application for the restoration and rehabilitation of the former Blackley Bakery, Kington House and Workers' Dwellings in Pieta.

It agreed in principle that restoration and internal reversible works will be permitted within Blackey’s Bakery and Kington House, while part of Workers' Dwellings can be demolished for the construction of apartments and garages.

No additional floors will be permitted on top of Blackey’s Bakery and Kington House.