Applications for fuel stations outside development zones that could have been headed towards approval may find a more difficult road ahead under a revised planning policy just published for public consultation.

The Times of Malta analysed pending applications and found that nearly all would breach provisions in the new fuel stations policy, under which they will be assessed if they are still there when the policy comes into effect.

Implementation, however, is at least months away. Should the applications be decided before then, they would benefit from assessment under the more permissive 2015 policy, which first opened the door to the controversial practice of relocating from urban cores to much larger ODZ sites.

Pending applications in Birżebbuġa, Żebbuġ, Marsascala and Attard would all seemingly need to be reduced in size by about a third to fit within the new policy’s maximum footprint of 1,000 square metres, compared to 3,000 square metres in the 2015 policy.

Other applications in Żebbuġ and Mqabba, meanwhile, may fall foul of a new restriction on ‘new’ fuel stations being built on ODZ land. The new policy permits only relocated stations, meaning an urban facility would need to be decommissioned at the same time.

Moreover, many of these applications propose development on agricultural land, which has been ruled out by the new policy.

It is worth noting, however, that the existing policy already contained a prohibition on the use of “good quality” agricultural land and this restriction has been circumvented in the past, most recently with a fuel station approved in Burmarrad last month.

Before and now.Before and now.

Moviment Graffitti, which has led several protests against such developments and against the delays in the policy review, cautiously welcomed the revised policy.

The group warned, however, that there would be no point in proposing changes if pending applications continued to be decided under the old policy, now that this was being ushered out. It called for a moratorium until the full implementation of the new policy.

In the 15 months since the policy review was announced, the Planning Authority continued to decide on pending applications.

However, most of these have, in recent weeks, been listed on the PA’s public servers as “suspended”, suggesting they are not being actively processed. By the time of writing, the planning watchdog had not responded to questions on whether it would continue to process these applications.

The revised policy is open for consultation for six weeks and could face another consultation period if the PA subsequently makes changes. 

It would then need to be discussed in Parliament’s environment committee before being approved at ministerial level.

Note: This is not a full list of all pending ODZ fuel station proposals. Several more do not have full application data available on the PA servers.

Triq L-Imdina, Żebbuġ

Currently suspended, the proposal would create a new fuel station on Triq l-Imdina, Żebbuġ. The site, around 2,800 square metres, is partly built up but the ERA says the structures are of dubious legality and that the site’s degradation does not justify the development. As a new station in ODZ, it would likely not be permitted.

Triq Sant’Antnin, Marsascala

The Planning Authority approved a 1,500-square-metre fuel station on abandoned agricultural land off Triq Sant’Antnin – relocated from Floriana – in December 2018 but the developers returned just a few months later with plans to extend it by another 1,000 square metres. The application for an extension is suspended.

Triq L-Imdina, Żebbuġ

Currently suspended, this application would relocate a fuel station from Triq Testaferrata, Ta’ Xbiex, to about 3,000 square metres of fallow agricultural land. The Environment and Resources Authority has said it would result in the “further deterioration” of the area’s landscape and specifically called for it to await the implementation of the revised policy.

Triq Ħal Far, Birżebbuġa

Under this active application, a single fuel pump in Victoria would be transformed into a sprawling 3,000-square- metre facility on agricultural land off Triq Ħal Far, Birżebbuġa. A previous application was turned down as the site was not eligible for a new fuel station. The developer then acquired the Victoria licence and returned with the current plans.

L-Andar Ta’ Fuq, Triq Valletta, Mqabba

This application, currently suspended, is for a new fuel station instead of an existing open storage yard and, therefore, within one of the areas specifically designated in the new policy (as in the old one) as suitable for fuel stations. However, as a new station in ODZ, it would nevertheless seem to fall foul of the policy.

Triq Villabate, Marsascala

Currently suspended, this proposal involves the relocation of a fuel station from Tal-Qroqq to around 1,800 square metres on the road between Żabbar and Marsascala. The site is not itself agricultural land but is within an agricultural area and surrounded by fields. It is not clear how it would be assessed under the new policy.

Triq L-Imdina, Attard

The active application in Triq l-Imdina will relocate a kerbside station in Triq il-Wied, Msida, to about 3,000 square metres of ODZ land. According to environmental studies, it will result in the “permanent loss of potentially good quality agricultural land”. The ERA has objected to its size and location.

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