Five eNGOs are extremely concerned by the fact that the Planning Authority’s has not refused an application for a swimming pool in Marsalforn Valley at the back of a seven-storey block of flats belonging to Joseph Portelli and his partners. The swimming pool at the side of the valley is not only destructive in its own right, being situated in the lush valley, it would also set a precedent that would be disastrous as other developments along the ridge would also have grounds for swimming pool permits.

This point has already been made resoundingly by various objectors to the proposed development, which includes the Xagħra Local Council, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, and the Environment and Resources Authority.

The Planning Authority’s own technical report also recommended a refusal. Incredulously, however, the Planning Commission instead asked the developer to make minor tweaks to the plan, and it will now decide on the application tomorrow.

If granted, this would set a new level of planning outrage when it comes to permitting development in sensitive Outside Development Zone areas.

After the political party elected to government promised in its manifesto to protect the peripheries of villages from destructive developments, granting a permit tomorrow would be damaging politically and send the wrong message. It is crucial to translate promises into action, particularly in a case such as this one that should have already been refused given the obvious breaches of planning policies, the damage to natural habitats and valleys in Gozo, and the fact that the Planning Authority itself recommended refusal.

The country cannot go on like this, falling to one low after the other when it comes to development. It is outrageous that the Planning Authority still finds it so hard to protect sensitive landscapes situated in the supposedly protected Outside Development Zone even as the government itself promises to do so. This planning application should have never gotten this far in the first place.

This also shows that the Rural Policy and Design Guidance of 2014, which provides the planning context for applications such as this swimming pool, has to be amended to close any loopholes immediately. The government said it would reform this policy almost two years ago to close loopholes for developments in the countryside. But the promised reform has never been implemented.

The undersigned NGOs are also very concerned by the feeble representation of the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA). Although ERA has called for a refusal, we are dismayed that it is not insisting more fittingly for the protection of maquis habitat, which is comprehensively threatened due to the precedent that this proposed development would set. ERA, legally responsible for Malta’s environment, is obliged to put up a more spirited and vigorous effort to protect such a sensitive habitat.

The eNGOs will be making strong interventions tomorrow in the Planning Commission meeting to emphasize the unacceptability of this planning application.

You can join the online meeting by clicking on this link: https://bit.ly/38kSahq.

Organisations

Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Għawdix

Moviment Graffitti

Wirt Għawdex

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Ħames għaqdiet ambjentali jinsabu mħassba ħafna dwar il-fatt li l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar għadha ma rrifjutatx applikazzjoni għal pixxina fil-Wied ta’ Marsalforn fuq wara ta’ blokk appartamenti ta’ seba’ sulari ta’ Joseph Portelli u l-imsieħba tiegħu. Il-pixxina fuq ġenb tal-wied ser ikollha impatt distruttiv fuq il-ħajja tal-wied  u ser toħloq preċedent diżastruż li jiftaħ il-bibien għal  żviluppaturi oħra li jaħsbu li huma wkoll jistgħu japplikaw għal pixxini tal-għum fl-istess żona.

Dan il-punt tqajjem bis-saħħa minn dawk li oġġezzjonaw għall-iżvilupp propost fosthom il-Kunsill Lokali tax-Xagħra,is-Sovrintendenza tal-Wirt Kulturali u l-Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA).

Ir-rapport tekniku tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar stess irrakkomanda l-applikazzjoni għar-rifjut. Madankollu  u b’mod  li ma jitwemminx, il-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar talbet lill-iżviluppatur jagħmel bidliet żgħar fil-pjan u ser tiddeċiedi dwar l-applikazzjoni għada.

Il-ħruġ ta’ permess bħal dan ser iwassal għal rabja mingħajr preċedent fir-rigward ta’ permessi għal żvilupp f’żoni sensittivi u ODZ.

Fil-manifest tiegħu, il-Partit Laburista fil-gvern wiegħed li jipproteġi l-periferiji tal-irħula minn żviluppi distruttivi. Jekk għada joħroġ dan il-permess, ser jagħmel ħsara politika kbira u jibgħat sinjal ħażin. Il-wegħdiet iridu jissarrfu f’azzjoni, b’mod partikolari f’każ bħal dan li suppost ilu li ġie rifjutat minħabba li jikser b’mod mill-iktar ovvju l-politiki tal-ippjanar, jikkawża ħsara fuq l-ambjent naturali u l-widien ta’ Għawdex u anki għaliex il-PA stess tirrakkomandah għar-rifjut.

Dan il-pajjiż ma jistax ikompli jmiss qigħan iktar baxxi minn ta’ qabilhom fejn jidħol żvilupp. Huwa xukkanti kif l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar issibha tant diffiċli biex tħares żoni sensittivi ODZ filwaqt li l-gvern jibqa’ jwiegħed li hekk ser jagħmel. Din l-applikazzjoni mhux suppost tħalliet tasal sa hawn.

Hemm bżonn urġenti li l-Gwida dwar il-Politika Rurali u d-Disinn 2014, il-kuntest li fih jintefgħu applikazzjonijiet bħal dawn tal-pixxina, tiġi emendata sabiex jiġu eliminati l-lakuni. Sentejn ilu l-gvern qal li ser iwettaq din ir-riforma u jneħħi l-lakuni li jippermettu żvilupp fil-kampanja. Ir-riforma li wegħduna għadha ma twettqitx.

L-NGOs firmatarji jinnutaw bi tħassib kbir ukoll il-preżenza dgħajfa tal-ERA f’dawn il-każijiet. L-ERA talbet ir-rifjut ta’ din l-applikazzjoni iżda mhix tinsisti bis-sħiħ fuq il-ħarsien tal-makkja li jinsab f’periklu kbir minħabba l-preċedent li toħloq din l-applikazzjoni. Aħna nistennew li l-ERA tiġġieled bis-sħiħ biex tħares ambjent tant sensittiv.

Waqt il-laqgħa tal-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar għada ser inkunu qed inressqu l-interventi b’saħħithom tagħna sabiex nenfasizzaw li din l-applikazzjoni assolutament mhix aċċettabbli.

Tista’ tingħaqad magħna fil-laqgħa billi tidħol hawn: https://bit.ly/38kSahq

Għaqdiet

Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Għawdix

Moviment Graffitti

Wirt Għawdex