During a press conference in Ħ’Attard addressed by AD Attard councillor Ralph Cassar and AD Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, the new proposals of massive development in the Wied Inċita quarries were explained.

Ralph Cassar said that the very fact that quarry operators want a new quarry and to fill the existing quarries with garages, warehouses and retail outlets confirms that the current quarries have been exhausted. “What’s more the illegalities at Wied Incita quarry have been going on unchecked since at least the 1990s. The terms and conditions of a 1967 emphyteusis deed with the government, which owns the land, have been completely ignored . The intentions of the current operators of the quarries are clear – turning this area into a built up zone. It is also one thing installing PV panels, but using government solar energy schemes as an excuse to turn the area into a built up industrial zone so close to the residential area is totally unacceptable.”

AD Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo who submitted an objection to the proposed development to the Planning Authority on behalf of residents and the AD local councillor explained that the application ignores a whole list of enforcement orders on illegalities in the quarries completely, as if nothing had ever happened.

“Rather than just submit a request for an outline development permission with a development proposal applicant should first and foremost be requested to address the irregularities on site. Secondly the applicant should also be requested to submit a proposal for the full rehabilitation of the whole site including a proposal for cessation of quarrying and all the related activities. It is only subsequent to honouring the above that the applicant should consider whether and what type of development on the site is permissible.”

Cacopardo continued, “We insist that there is no planning need to provide space for small retail outlets just outside the development zone. The proposal for garages to be used by SMEs (for light industry) is objectionable in principle due to the close proximity of the proposed area to residential units, whose development was permitted by the Planning Authority (and its predecessors) considerable time ago. No provision has been made for the impacts of the traffic generated, including heavy traffic, as a result of the proposal on the residential community in the area. This has neither been considered or factored in. The proposal for installation of solar panels is a sweetener intended to camouflage an otherwise unacceptable proposal.”

“The Ħ’Attard Local Council is in court, also thanks to the work and pressure by AD’s local councillor Ralph Cassar, insisting that authorities enforce the laws, permit conditions and regulations which they are duty bound to enforce and for the quarry operators to stick to the conditions in the deed and planning permits, including reinstating exhausted land to its original state. Authorities should do their duty and enforce applicable laws and regulations. They have closed both their eyes for over 23 years now.”

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Wied Inċita: l-awtoritajiet b’għajnejhom magħluqin għal aktar minn 23 sena.

Waqt konferenza stampa f’ Ħ’Attard li kienet indirizzata mill-Kunsillier Lokali ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika Ralph Cassar u d-Deputat Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, il-proposti għall-iżvilupp massiv madwar u fiil-barrieri ta’ Wied Inċita kienu spjegati.

Ralph Cassar qal li l-fatt illi l-operaturi tal-barrieri jridu barrieri ġodda kif ukoll li jimlew l-ispazju eżistenti b’garaxxijiet, imħazen u żona kummercjali jikkonferma li l-barrieri eżistenti huma eżawriti. Dan apparti mill-illegalitajiet li ilhom għaddejjin f’dawn il-barrieri bla ma ħadd jaghti każ jew jieħu passi, ta’ lanqas sa mill-bidu tas-snin 90. Il-kundizzjonijiet ta’ kuntratt bejn l-operaturi u l-Gvern fl-1967 qed jiġu injorati kompletament. Issa huwa iktar car li l-operaturi tal-barrieri jridu jiżviluppaw iż-żona kompletament. Li tinstalla l-pannelli fotovoltajiċi hi ħaga imma li tibni żona industrijali daqstant viċin taż-żona residenzjali hi totalment inaċċettabbli.”

Id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika Carmel Cacopardo, li issottometta oġġezzjoni mal-Awtorita’ tal-Ippjanar f’isem ir-residenti kontra l-iżvilupp propost u l-Kunsillier Lokali ta’ AD spjegaw kif l-applikazzjoni tinjora kompletament sensiela ta’ ordnijiet ta’ infurzar  fuq il-barrieri, qisu qatt ma ġara xejn.

“Flok talba għal permess ta’ żvilupp (outline) bi proposta dettaljata għall-iżvilupp taż-żona l-applikant għandu jintalab jindirizza l-irregolaritajiet li ilhom jakkumulaw fiż-żona. Wara għandha tkun ikkunsidrata r-rijabilitazzjoni taż-żona inkluż li tieqaf kompletament l-operazzjoni tal-barriera u l-attivitajiet kollha assoċjati maghha. Huwa biss wara li jsir dan kollu li għandu jiġi ikkonsidrat jekk u x’tip ta’ żvilupp għandu jkun permissibbli.”

Cacopardo żied jgħid, “Ninsistu li ma hemmx ħtiega ta’ żona kummercjali daqstant viċin ta’ area residenzjali. Anke l-proposta ta’ garaxxijiet għal industrija ħafifa (SMEs) hi oggezzjonabbli fil prinċipju minħabba li ż-żona qegħda viċin ħafna tar-residenzi li kollha ingħataw permess ta’ żvilupp mill-awtoritajiet żmien twil ilu. Ħadd m’hu qiegħed jikkonsidra l-impatt tat-traffiku ġġenerat fuq ir-residenti bħala riżultat ta’ din il-proposta ta’ żvilupp. Il-proposta tal-installazzjoni ta’ pannelli fotovoltajiċi hi diversiv biex tipprova tmewwet uħud mill-impatti negattivi tal-proġett propost.”

“Il-Kunsill Lokali ta’ Ħ’Attard qiegħed il-Qorti dwar il-kaz u dan bħala riżultat tal-ħidma ma taqta’ xejn tal-Kunsillier elett f’isem AD Ralph Cassar, li ilu jiinsisti s-snin biex il-liġijiet u l-kundizzjonijiet tal-permessi jkunu implimentati u li ż-żona tkun restawrata għall-istat oriġinali tagħha. L-awtoritajiet ghandhom jagħmlu dmirhom. Ilhom issa iktar minn 23 sena jagħlqu ghajnejhom.”