(Adds Siggiewi council statement)

Mepa will tomorrow consider an appeal for a permit for a batching plant proposed in an ecologically and archaeologically sensitive area in Siġġiewi. The hearing takes on greater significance because part of the extensive site was descheduled a few days ago.

The site plan submitted for the batching plant’s application includes the area that recently had its protection removed.

Mepa, however, told the Times of Malta the proposed batching plant would be located 400 metres north of the recently descheduled area and the two cases were therefore not connected.

The descheduled area included planning infringements with an enforcement notice pending action since 1997. One of the reasons why the permit for the batching plant was refused was the illegalities on site. Applications to sanction such illegalities would not have been possible if the area had not been descheduled. 

Planning Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon endorsed the removal of the land in question from the list of scheduled property. When asked whether he had ever met the applicants before, Dr Falzon said he had not. 

Mepa said the descheduling of the area had been requested by the owner. It said the owner had commissioned “a number of scientific studies” before the removal of protection, which was granted by the Mepa board after a “technical evaluation”. The decision was then sent to the government for approval.

More in Times of Malta.

Updated at 3.10pm

The Siggiewi council held an urgent meeting on the matter this afternoon and decided to appeal Mepa’s decision.

It said it would also be requesting the tribunal to stop hearing the appeal on the building of the batching plant until the council’s appeal was decided.

The council also agreed to request an urgent meeting with Parliament Secretary Michael Falzon to directly highlight its objections.

The council's resolution can be read here.