The ink on the withdrawal of the Marsaskala marina project had not dried up yet before we were faced with another surprise – the approval of the extension of a petrol station double the size of what had already been mightily objected to by residents in 2019 – and this literally across the road from the locality’s Family Park which is a favourite area of relaxation for people in the south.

On the assumption that the land in question was not arable, the Environment and Planning Tribunal (EPRT) approved an additional 1,200 square metres of agricultural land to include an enlarged retail outlet, an ARM, larger offices, four massive garages including a VRT centre, panel beating and mechanic services as well as larger area next to a previously approved car wash!

Both the Planning Authority as well as ERA had objected to this expansion for several reasons including that this goes against the petrol stations’ policy and that increased land area was excessive. ERA had insisted that “there is no further justification for the further loss of rural land and associated environmental impacts to accommodate such extension for commercial use.”

ADPD – The Green Party candidate Brian Decelis said that once again this appeal seems to have been granted when it could least be noticed as we are in the middle of an electoral campaign. This echoes what had happened with the marina proposal that had been issued in the peak of Summer. “Did they think that the people of Marsaskala would not have noticed?”

It should be also pointed out that the original permit was granted because the development requested had been reduced. The location of this petrol station is going to impede the flow of traffic in and out of Marsaskala as well as for those who want to visit the Family Park. Moreover, there seems to have been scant consideration of the residents who live just metres away from where this petrol station is going to operate from.

Since it appears that behind this development there seem to be PL donors, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo that once again we have to question how much an effect political party donations are having on decisions taken such as this one.
As has been revealed by the media the developers of this petrol station in Marsascala are significant Partit Laburista donors.

“This is the reason behind ADPD’s proposals in the electoral manifesto that business and public administration should keep their distance at all times and that the limit allowed for single donations to political parties is decreased from €25,000 to €5,000.”

Cacopardo said he could not fathom how more permits of such petrol stations are being issued at a time when people are encouraged to convert to vehicles that do not use such fuel. “What is going to happen with these tracts of land once a number of the petrol stations that have mushroomed over the past year no longer remain viable?”

ADPD representation in the next Maltese Parliament will ensure long-term development planning especially when projects will lead to irreversible environmental destruction.

***

Aktar sfreġju ambjentali f’Marsaskala

Hekk kif il-poplu ta’ Marsaskala straħ xi ftit bil-wegħda li l-proposta tal-marina ma kienetx għada fuq il-mejda, issa ġie approvat permess għal pompa tal-petrol id-doppju ta’ dak li kien diġà tqajmet oġġezzjoni kbira mir-residenti fl-2019 – u dan litteralment fl-entratura tal-Family Park fil-lokalità li jilqa’ tant nies mill-madwar.

Bl-iskuża li l-art ma tistax tinħadem għall-agrikoltura, l-Environment and Planning Tribunal (EPRT) approva żieda addizzjonali ta’ 1,200 metru kwadru ta’ art agrikola għal ħanut estiż, ATM, uffiċini ikbar, erbgħa garaxxijiet kbar li jinkludu ċentru tal-VRT, servizzi ta’ panel beater u mechanic kif ukoll żona akbar maġenb car wash li kienet inkluża qabel!

Kemm l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar kif ukoll l-ERA kienu oġġezzjonaw għal din l-espansjoni fosthom minħabba li din tmur kontra l-policies ta’ petrol stations u li ż-żieda kienet ta’ natura eċċessiva. L-ERA sostniet li ma kienx hemm aktar ġustifikazzjoni għal aktar telf ta’ art rurali bl-impatti ambjentali assoċjati ma estensjoni għal użu kummerċjali.

Il-kandidat ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Brian Decelis qal li għal darboħra dan jidher każ ieħor fejn bħalma ġara bil-proposta tal-marina li tħabbret fl-eqqel tal-istaġjun tas-sajf, dan l-appell intlaqa’ waqt li l-pajjiż qiegħed f’nofs kampanja elettorali. “Ħasbu li l-poplu ta’ Marsaskala ma kienx se jinduna!”

Ta’ min ifakkar li l-permess oriġinali kien ħareġ peress li l-iżvilupp kien iċċekken. Il-post ta’ din il-petrol station se jkun ta’ ostaklu għat-traffiku għal min dieħel u ħiereġ minn Marsaskala kif ukoll għal dawk li jżuru il-Family Park. Barra minn hekk ma tantx jidher li ittieħdet konsiderazzjoni għar-residenti li jgħixu ftit metri l-bogħod minn fejn se jkun hemm din il-petrol station.

Hekk kif jidhru li f’dan l-iżvilupp hemm interessi mħallta ta’ natura kummerċjali u politika iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD – The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo qal li anke dwar dan il-kaz irridu nistaqsu dwar kemm id-donazzjonijiet lill-partiti politiċi qed ikollhom effett fuq id-deċiżjonijiet li qed jittieħdu.

Kif ġie żvelat mill-media l-iżviluppaturi wara il-petrol station ta’ Marsaskala huma donaturi importanti tal-Partit Laburista.

“Din hija r-raġuni għala fost il-proposti tal-ADPD fil-manifest elettorali wieħed isib li għanda tinżamm id-distanza bejn id-dinja tan-negozju u l-amministrazzjoni pubblika f’kull ħin u li jonqos il-limitu ta’ donazzjonijiet minn €25,000 għal €5,000.”  

Cacopardo kompla jgħid li ma jistgħax jifhem kif fl-istess waqt li qiegħed jingħad li hemm bżonn li jkun hemm bidla għall-użu akbar ta’ karozzi li ma jużawx il-fuel, jibqgħu jinħarġu dawn it-tip ta’ permessi. “Ta’ min jistaqsi x’se jsir minn dawn il-meded ta’artijiet hekk kif numru minn dawn il-petrol stations li faqqsu f’dan l-aħħar snin ma jibqgħux vijabbli?”

Għalhekk huwa importanti li jkun hemm rappreżentanza ta’ ADPD fil-Parlament Malti biex jassigura li jkun hemm ippjanar fit-tul fejn jidħol żvilupp li jkun se jħalli sfreġju ambjentali irriversibbli.