Siġġiewi residents hoping that a petrol station adjacent to a 16th-century chapel in the main square would be relocated outside the village core were disappointed following a decision by the Planning Authority.

According to a new fuel stations policy, introduced in 2015, petrol stations in urban areas were deemed to be incompatible with the surrounding context and had to be relocated to areas outside village cores.

Residents told the Times of Malta that since Mallia Petrol Station, situated on a kerbside adjacent to the 1942 St Mary’s chapel, in the middle of Pjazza San Nikola, was one of the stations in conflict with the new policy, they were expecting that an application for its refurbishment would be accepted only if it was moved to a place outside the village core.

“To our big surprise, it seems that this will not happen at all, despite the clear policy.  Somehow, the Planning Authority accepted that our piazza is to be excavated to put in new fuel tanks and the petrol station can stay in place,” a frustrated resident told this newspaper.

The local council gave its go ahead for the project without consulting us

“To add insult to injury, the architect working for this green light was a former Siġġiewi mayor, while the Siġġiewi local council gave its go ahead for the project without consulting us,” another resident complained.

In 2015, architect Robert Musumeci, also an OPM consultant, filed an application on behalf of his clients to refurbish the petrol station, which has been in the same place for decades.

The application was originally refused by the planning board citing various reasons, particularly, that the application went against the new fuel stations policy to relocate outside urban zones and due to its proximity to the historical chapel. 

However, the PA dropped its objections following a letter from the local council in favour of the application.

Writing following a discussion on the application, the Siġġiewi council said that it “deems that the service offered by the station is essential to the Siġġiewi community and confirms the need that its fuel tanks are up-graded due to the receipt of various complaints on fumes from residents living close by”.

In its letter, the council underlined that it understood that for the time being, a relocation of this station was not possible as no alternative zone outside the village core was identified or available.

Following this letter, the PA revised its decision and granted its green light for the project to take place.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com