Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1034189
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 NEWS area known for its tranquillity. The development will be developed on 2,143sq.m of vacant land. The restaurant will be built on two levels on a 220sq.m footprint. The devel- opment will also include a 110 sq.m outdoor area. In March 2017, the PA had approved an application to construct an additional floor over the petrol station's shop to cater for 100sq.m of offices. Originally the application also included a restaurant but this was later omitted. The applica- tion was approved by the PA's planning commission despite the contrary advice of the case officer, who argued that there was enough space at ground level to cater for the offices. The ODZ petrol station was also originally approved in 2006 despite a clear recom- mendation of the case officer against its approval. The Attard local council and parliamentarians from both major parties also opposed the project. An extension to the car wash and the inclusion of bath- room facilities was approved in 2009. The petrol station had been approved in the absence of any policy regulating the de- velopment of petrol stations in ODZ. The latest plans have been presented by architect Stephen Vancell who works for Envi- ronmental Management De- sign Planning (EMDP), a plan- ning consultancy owned by Mariello Spiteri – who himself sits on the PA's planning com- mission. Spiteri abstains on all cases involving his company. Motorway fantasy: Attard's Pit Stop wants ODZ restaurant JAMES DEBONO GOZO landowners in the village of Ghasri are seeking the green light to include a stretch of ag- ricultural land in development zones, the second application of its kind. The five owners filed an appli- cation for residential develop- ment on 3,194sq.m of agricul- tural land in an area known as Ta' Lehfar in Ghasri. The land borders a rural ham- let that is entirely surrounded by land outside development zones (ODZ). The owners want their land to become developable. In July, a similar application to extend the development zones was presented by Charles Camilleri's CA&S Limited for a 13,865sq.m stretch of agricul- tural land in Zabbar. The Zabbar land, which borders the develop- ment zone was being proposed for residential development in the vicinity of James Garage and Lourdes Service Station, on part of a large area of agricultural land between Triq il-Kunsill tal- Ewropa and Labour Avenue. Both applications have yet to be validated by the Planning Au- thority. The request for inclusion of land in development zones is be- ing made through two separate planning control applications, normally used to set the param- eters for development on sites, which are already within the de- velopment zone. Since these two sites are pres- ently ODZ, no development except that foreseen in the 2014 rural policy rules can be allowed. But the applications are un- precedentedly proposing a revi- sion of the development bound- aries. Any revision would be the first to have occurred since the extensive exercise carried out in 2006, when large pockets of ODZ land were scheduled for residential development by the government and the PA. This time around, the revision is being requested by private landowners. Over the past years develop- ment in ODZ areas has been mainly restricted to a range of developments permitted by the 2014 rural policy, which apart from developments related to agriculture also allows the rede- velopment of ruins from older buildings. More infrequently, develop- ment is allowed in so-called "in- fill sites" found between existing residential developments. One notable case was the issue of a permit for four villas in an ODZ location in Kalkara. Speculation on a revision of building boundaries has been brewing since 2013 when the newly-elected Labour govern- ment embarked on a revision of the 2006 local plans. The process attracted close to 7,000 submissions from the public but has been left uncom- pleted. The Strategic Plan for the En- vironment and Development (SPED) foresees "minor adjust- ments" to development bounda- ries "whilst ensuring that the overall result does not constitute a significant change". In 2014, former parliamentary secretary for planning, Michael Falzon, had justified tweaking the 2006 boundaries by accusing the former government of being "creative" in including certain lands, but not others. Before the general election, Muscat had indicated that the government may compensate additions to the development zone by taking away land, which is presently located in develop- ment zones. This would require govern- ment to change the zoning of lands in public ownership cur- rently within development zone to accommodate requests by pri- vate owners. But sources in the Planning Authority have indicated that the government is having cold feet as the process could open another Pandora's box as some owners may yet again be left out in the cold. Moreover, with the environ- ment rising in public opinion concerns, the government may be wary of further controversy. Within this context more frustrated owners may end up presenting ad-hoc applications to add their lands to the devel- opment zone in the absence of clear guidelines by government. More private landowners trying to extend the development boundaries