Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1284320
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 2 SEPTEMBER 2020 TOWNSCAPES JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority has warned that the development of a supermarket and DIY retail store on Tal-Balal road in San Gwann will lead to further urban sprawl outside the development zones. But while objecting to the de- velopment, the ERA exempted the project from conducting further EIA studies simply be- cause its major impacts on land use and take-up of rural land cannot be resolved through more studies. The 7,281sq.m site where the development is being proposed consists of an ODZ corridor between the localities of Iklin and San Gwann. The site is already disturbed, being used as a batching plant and open storage facility, occu- pied by heavy plant machinery used in the construction indus- try. The retail units are being pro- posed on 2,864sq.m of land while the remaining space will be landscaped or used as circu- lation space. Noting that the present use of the site for the storage of vehi- cles has already resulted in sig- nificant environmental damage and is in conflict with the ru- ral setting of the area, the ERA warned that two retail outlets and basement parking cannot be perceived as an improve- ment to the site. It said the adjoining fields are already negatively impacted in terms of productivity from the present operations of the site. These impacts are envisaged to be more significant during the demolition of structures as part of the construction phase of the proposal, which will fur- ther contribute to the release of dust and dispersal. The generation of 23,000 cu- bic metres of excavation waste during the construction phase was also seen as an adverse im- pact, particularly in view of the national crisis regarding the limited space for construction waste. The proposed development will also change the landscape character and visual amenity of the area and change an ODZ area into a commercial site. It is also unclear according to ERA whether the industrial ac- tivities present on site are cov- ered by the necessary permits. According to the developers the site is covered by trade per- mit issued in 1968. "The project does not mer- it further assessment through EIA studies, since the rela- tively basic issues of rural land uptake, intensification and proliferation of physical de- velopment and site formaliza- tion cannot be adequately ad- dressed through detailed EIA studies," the ERA said. The developers' consultants argue that the retail develop- ment will upgrade the area. "The upgrading of such site will be more than appropriate since it will be using land area which cannot be classified as agricultural land." They said the development matches consumer expecta- tions for an 'all-under-one- roof' concept that "will be part of the evolving shopping expe- rience in Malta". Since the site lies within an aquifer protection zone and a water catchment area, two rainwater reservoirs with a sep- arate capacity of 315 cubic me- tres are being proposed. The entire area will be concreted upon to prevent any accidental spillages from entering into the aquifer. The owner of the site, Joe Cassar, was one of the entre- preneurs on the island to start importing trucks, their spare parts and other similar items in 1983. Over the years the busi- ness evolved to the importa- tion, sales and hiring of heavy plant machinery, engines, con- tainers, mobile offices and toi- lets and other related items. JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority has warned that the development of a supermarket and DIY retail store on Tal-Balal road in San Gwann will lead to further urban sprawl outside the development zones. But while objecting to the de- velopment, the ERA exempted the project from conducting further EIA studies simply be- cause its major impacts on land use and take-up of rural land cannot be resolved through more studies. The 7,281sq.m site where the development is being proposed consists of an ODZ corridor between the localities of Iklin and San Gwann. The site is already disturbed, being used as a batching plant and open storage facility, occu- pied by heavy plant machinery used in the construction indus- try. The retail units are being pro- posed on 2,864sq.m of land while the remaining space will be landscaped or used as circu- lation space. Noting that the present use of the site for the storage of vehi- cles has already resulted in sig- nificant environmental damage and is in conflict with the ru- ral setting of the area, the ERA warned that two retail outlets and basement parking cannot be perceived as an improve- ment to the site. It said the adjoining fields are already negatively impacted in terms of productivity from the present operations of the site. These impacts are envisaged to be more significant during the demolition of structures as part of the construction phase of the proposal, which will fur- ther contribute to the release of dust and dispersal. The generation of 23,000 cu- bic metres of excavation waste during the construction phase was also seen as an adverse im- pact, particularly in view of the national crisis regarding the limited space for construction waste. The proposed development will also change the landscape character and visual amenity of the area and change an ODZ area into a commercial site. It is also unclear according to ERA whether the industrial ac- tivities present on site are cov- ered by the necessary permits. According to the developers the site is covered by trade per- mit issued in 1968. "The project does not mer- it further assessment through EIA studies, since the rela- tively basic issues of rural land uptake, intensification and proliferation of physical de- velopment and site formaliza- tion cannot be adequately ad- dressed through detailed EIA studies," the ERA said. The developers' consultants argue that the retail develop- ment will upgrade the area. "The upgrading of such site will be more than appropriate since it will be using land area which cannot be classified as agricultural land." They said the development matches consumer expecta- tions for an 'all-under-one- roof' concept that "will be part of the evolving shopping expe- rience in Malta". Since the site lies within an aquifer protection zone and a water catchment area, two rainwater reservoirs with a sep- arate capacity of 315 cubic me- tres are being proposed. The entire area will be concreted upon to prevent any accidental spillages from entering into the aquifer. The owner of the site, Joe Cassar, was one of the entre- preneurs on the island to start importing trucks, their spare parts and other similar items in 1983. Over the years the busi- ness evolved to the importa- tion, sales and hiring of heavy plant machinery, engines, con- tainers, mobile offices and toi- lets and other related items. ERA objects to San Gwann DIY store and supermarket at Tal-Balal THE owners of a new bou- tique hotel in Attard approved last year on the grounds of the protected Casa Bonavita town- house, have applied to demolish an old farmhouse on an adjacent site on Triq il-Belt Valletta in Attard. The old farm building is lo- cated in the Urban Conserva- tion Area where demolitions of old buildings are not normally allowed. If the application is approved the dilapidated building, char- acterised by its old walls and partly covered by shrubs, will be replaced by a two-storey annexe to the boutique hotel by opening up of doorway in a garden wall separating the two properties. The hotel, approved in 2019, had included additional rooms in the garden of the town- house, which is also protected as an open space enclave. The PA considered the works as "an extension to an existing build- ing aimed at increasing the amenity of the property". An expired permit from 1995 and last renewed in 1998 to replace the farmhouse with a terraced house, now lacks legal validity as permits expire after five years. The PA had back then approved the demolition of what was considered an "ex- isting dangerous structure" to construct the terraced house. The demolition was also given the blessing of the PA's inter- nal heritage panel, which in 1995 found no objection and deemed the proposal "accept- able from an aesthetic point of view and one which would en- hance the overall appearance of the area". Hotelier wants to demolish old Attard building Aerial view of the site from Triq tal-Balal