Żurrieq farmers, backed by numerous organisations and residents, have called on the Lands Authority to immediately withdraw the consent it granted to a private developer for the submission of Planning Control application PC/00068/22. This seeks the destruction of government-owned agricultural land in Tal-Bebbux to make way for more buildings.
The land in question has been farmed for generations and remains a source of local food production.
The farmers argue that it is unacceptable that land owned by the state — land which still serves an essential agricultural purpose — is being made availableŻurrieq farmers, backed by numerous organisations and residents, have called on the Lands Authority to immediately withdraw the consent it granted to a private developer for the submission of Planning Control application PC/00068/22.for private profit, at the expense of farmers, communities, and future generations.
At a time when Malta is increasingly dependent on imported food and facing a global climate crisis, the decision to eliminate productive, cultivated farmland for development is deeply troubling.
This reflects a broader and alarming trend: a government that remains eager to serve the construction lobby, consistently prioritising greed over environmental sustainability, social justice, and the long-term wellbeing of the population.
Thousands of formal objections have been submitted by the public against this application. This is a matter of national concern. The Lands Authority is being urged to acknowledge the overwhelming public opposition to this project, the irreversible damage it would cause, and the wider implications of allowing public land to be abused in this way.
Farmers, supported by organisations and residents, are calling on the Lands Authority to revoke its consent and halt the planning process before more harm is done. This land should be protected for its social and agricultural value, not sacrificed for yet another wave of unnecessary and unsustainable development.
The signatories of the letter are calling on the Lands Authority to act responsibly and take this opportunity to defend the public interest, uphold the rights of farmers, and reject a development model that continues to place greed before the common good.
Letter signatories
Robert Bondin Carter
Annalisa Schembri
With the support of
Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi
Għaqda Residenti taż-Żurrieq
Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA)
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Il-Kollettiv
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust – FEE Malta
Ramblers’ Association of Malta
The Archaeological Society Malta
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Bdiewa Żrieraq jitolbu b’urġenza lill-Awtorità tal-Artijiet biex tirtira l-kunsens tagħha għall-iżvilupp fuq art agrikola f’Tal-Bebbux
Bdiewa Żrieraq, bl-appoġġ ta’ bosta għaqdiet u residenti, talbu formalment lill-Awtorità tal-Artijiet biex tirtira minnufih il-kunsens li tat għas-sottomissjoni tal-applikazzjoni ta’ Kontroll tal-Ippjanar PC/00068/22 minn żviluppatur privat. Din l-applikazzjoni qed tfittex li art agrikola tal-gvern f’Tal-Bebbux tinqered għal iktar bini.
L-art inkwistjoni ilha tinħadem mill-bdiewa għal ġenerazzjonijiet sħaħ u tibqa’ sors importanti ta’ produzzjoni lokali tal-ikel.
Il-bdiewa qed jargumentaw li mhuwiex aċċettabbli li art li hija proprjetà tal-gvern — art li għadha taqdi funzjoni agrikola importanti — qed tingħata għall-profitt privat, a skapitu tal-bdiewa li jaħdmuha, tal-komunitajiet, u tal-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.
Fi żmien meta Malta qed tiddependi dejjem aktar fuq ikel importat u qed tiffaċċja kriżi klimatika globali, id-deċiżjoni li tiġi meqruda art agrikola li għadha tinħadem għall-iżvilupp hija inkwetanti ħafna.
Dan kollu jikkonferma s-sitwazzjoni inkwetanti fejn il-gvern huwa dejjem lest li jaqdi lil-lobby tal-kostruzzjoni, u b’mod konsistenti qed jibqa’ jagħti prijorità lir-regħba fuq is-sostenibbiltà ambjentali, il-ġustizzja soċjali, u l-benesseri fit-tul tal-poplu.
Eluf ta’ oġġezzjonijiet formali ntbagħtu mill-pubbliku kontra din l-applikazzjoni. Din hija kwistjoni ta’ tħassib nazzjonali. L-Awtorità tal-Artijiet qed tiġi mħeġġa tagħraf l-oppożizzjoni pubblika qawwija kontra din l-applikazzjoni, il-ħsara irriversibbli li dan l-iżvilupp se jikkawża, u l-implikazzjonijiet usa’ li art tal-gvern titħalla tiġi abbużata b’dan il-mod.
Il-bdiewa, bl-appoġġ ta’ bosta għaqdiet u residenti, qed jappellaw lill-Awtorità tal-Artijiet biex tirrevoka l-kunsens tagħha u twaqqaf il-proċess tal-ippjanar qabel ma ssir aktar ħsara. L-art għandha tiġi protetta għall-benefiċċju lis-soċjetà u l-valur agrikolu tagħha, u mhux issagrifikata għal aktar żvilupp mhux meħtieġ u mhux sostenibbli.
Il-firmatarji tal-ittra qed jappellaw lill-Awtorità tal-Artijiet biex taġixxi b’mod responsabbli, u tieħu din l-opportunità biex tiddefendi l-interess pubbliku, tiddefendi d-drittijiet tal-bdiewa, u ma tkomplix tpoġġi r-regħba qabel l-benesseri komuni.
Firmatarji tal-ittra
Robert Bondin Carter
Annalisa Schembri
Bl-appoġġ ta’
Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi
Għaqda Residenti taż-Żurrieq
Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA)
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Il-Kollettiv
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust – FEE Malta
Ramblers’ Association of Malta
The Archaeological Society Malta
