In January 2018, Environment Minister José Herrera asked the Environment Authority (ERA) to review the current Fuel Stations Policy and propose revisions to the Planning Authority’s executive council. The issue is whether the current batch of applications should be put on hold pending this review.
Where did it all start?
The controversial Fuel Service Stations Policy was approved in 2015, and immediately environmental groups warned of its potential to increase urban sprawl and immediately suggested it be revised.
Since its introduction, 14 different development applications have been submitted or approved for ODZ land to be taken up with new fuel stations: either new or relocated from urban areas.
Between them, these applications could commit some 46,500 square metres of rural land to development – an area more than five times the size of the Floriana Granaries.
They range in size from 1,500 to 5,000 square metres each and come with ancillary facilities such as auto shops and cafés, deemed necessary to make the projects economically viable.
The issue came to a head on Thursday when activists stormed a PA board meeting discussing the proposed Luqa petrol station.
Watch: Activists storm PA meeting demanding change in fuel station policy
Just how many applications are there?
In October 2015, the prime minister said in reply to a parliamentary question that the planning authority had before it 34 pending validated applications for the opening of petrol stations.
The applications are for stations in Qormi (4) Victoria (3); Għajnsielem, Xewkija, Żurrieq, Luqa, Żabbar, St Paul’s Bay, Paola, and Naxxar, two each; and one each at Għaxaq, Gżira, Iklin, Marsascala, Mellieħa, Mosta, Rabat, Sliema, Siġġiewi, Swieqi and Xagħra.
PA executive chairman Johann Buttigieg, who appeared in front of parliament's environment committee in February as it discussed the policy review, said just eight applications under the policy – both ODZ and not – had been submitted, of which three were approved.
But the real figure is not clear as there were applications submitted before 2013 that were approved after the policy was introduced, as well as those still under screening, which between them constitute a majority of applications.
A fuel station in Burmarrad which is still under construction is being advertised as “opening soon” despite two pending appeals seeking to revoke the permit issued last summer.
Located outside the development zone, opposite the Kiabi complex, the project comprises a car ash, a tyre service station and an automated teller machine.
Read: Burmarrad fuel station works begin, despite pending appeals
In July last year, the Planning Authority gave the green light for the development despite the objections raised by NGOs, the St Paul’s Bay local council and the Environment Resources Authority.
Subsequently, both the ERA and the council appealed the decision.
The Planning Authority approved plans for the controversial ODZ petrol station in Magħtab, reversing reasons to refuse the project it had itself set just one month before.
The PA board voted by nine votes to four in favour of the project. When the same board last met on December 7, the preliminary vote was six against and just two in favour.
No changes were made to the proposal since then, and the only new information presented to the board was a petition signed by 145 Magħtab residents after the last hearing, declaring that they were in favour of the fuel station.
The application for a fuel station on the outskirts of Iklin prompted objections from the local council on the grounds that this would eat up part of the precious little rural land left in the area.
The council is arguing that the application at Triq tal-Balal should be rejected immediately, as the earmarked site is less than 500 metres away from the nearest station, in breach of a specific planning policy.
Furthermore, the site lies outside the development zone (ODZ).