Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1479276
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 SEPTEMBER 2022 NEWS LUKE VELLA THE Qala local council has filed an appeal against the develop- ment of two large swimming pool areas, outside develop- ment zones, by developer Joseph Portelli for his apartment com- plex. Qala's Labour mayor Paul Buttigieg yesterday said that his council filed the appeal to overturn a "massive lagoon-like pool", which excavation had al- ready started without the nec- essary permits. "The Planning Commission chaired by Martin Camilleri approved this take-up of ODZ land by Joseph Portelli's com- pany despite the fact that ERA had objected," Buttigieg said. The Planning Authority had eventually granted permission for the sanctioning of the de- velopment. The local council's appeal was filed with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, in which it argued that the PA was complicit in the "abusive development". "It is clear that the Planning Authority was complicit in al- lowing the laying of the ground work for two huge pools which will formalize the ODZ, are alien to the vernacular rural character of the area and will cement the PA's reputation for permitting the sanctioning of abusive development, despite the clear breaches of policy." Both pools form part of wid- er plans to build a 164-apart- ment residential complex in the quaint Gozo village. Portel- li split the project across five separate planning applications, bypassing requirements for an environmental impact assess- ment. Buttigieg said that the Plan- ning Commission was ignoring the law, the Environment and Resources Authority and the environment. "The Qala Local Council will persist in challenging these terrible decisions on behalf of the community and all who genuinely care for the environ- ment." Qala council appeals Joseph Portelli's ODZ swimming pools