Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1507984
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWS NEWS JAMES DEBONO THE Planning Authority's De- velopment Management Direc- torate is recommending the ap- proval of a proposal to build 13 two-storey villas on the site of an abandoned farm in Maghtab. The development over 7,770sq.m is being proposed in the vicinity of the old Santa Marija chapel on a site located to the east of Burmarrad and west of Bahar ic-Caghaq. Although the area is in an outside development zone, the development is being justified based on an amendment made to the local plan in 2016 that de- fined the area as an ODZ settle- ment. The Environment and Re- sources Authority had objected to the proposal, warning that the proposed works would lead to intensification of development in the area, further take-up of undeveloped land and a sprawl of urban uses within an ODZ area. ERA had also warned that approval of this development may cause pressure to approve similar interventions elsewhere within the rural area. The 13 villas will have a built- up footprint of 2,028sq.m while swimming pools will occupy a further 920sq.m. A new road will take up a fur- ther 1,227sq.m while the re- maining 3,525sq.m will be land- scaped. All the villas are being proposed on separate plots of around 500sq.m each. The Central Malta Local Plan approved in 2006 had referred to the emergence of a residen- tial rural cluster which was to be zoned as a 'Category 2 ODZ Ru- ral Settlement'. However, the extents of this settlement had not been de- fined within the Local Plan. The boundaries of the rural hamlet were subsequently defined in a partial review of the local plan approved in 2016. The local plan limits develop- ment in such rural settlements to a footprint of 150sq.m and a floor space of 200sq.m and spec- ifies that any development must respect the character of the set- tlement and its surrounding ru- ral environment. A final decision is to be taken by the Planning Board on 12 Oc- tober. PA set to approve 13 villas in Maghtab ODZ ERA had objected to development, but Case officer is recommending approval in view of local plan policy designating area as a settlement Top: the abandoned farm in Maghtab and (above) a photo montage of the proposed villas MATTHEW AGIUS A 30-year-old man from Birżeb- buġa was cleared of breaching a protection order and breaching his bail conditions after alleged- ly verbally abusing his ex-girl- friend. Kyle Lautier was found not guilty by Magistrate Lara Lan- franco of insulting the woman, breaching the peace, disobeying his court-imposed protection order and bail conditions. The woman had filed a report at the Domestic Violence Unit in July 2021, alleging that Lautier had approached her earlier that day while she had been shopping with her son in Birżebbuġa. The son had alerted his mother to the man's presence, observing them from a corner, as they had been leaving a shop. After they sat down in her car, the woman had filmed Lautier on her mobile phone. She told the police that while driving home, she had also seen him driving his father's car near the church in Birżebbuġa. She claimed that Lautier had shouted abuse at her while she was driving near Pretty Bay and that she had driven on. He did not appear again, said the wom- an. Lautier had exercised his right to silence, both when questioned by the police as well as in court. The prosecution had exhibited a pen drive handed to it by the woman, containing footage shot in three different places. But the court noted that it also showed that the woman had driven around a block twice for no ap- parent reason. Although a male voice could be heard uttering an insult on the recording, the person behind the voice was not seen on the footage. At no time had the woman said she had seen the defendant, not- ed the court, having only said that she had heard his voice and recognised it. Although there was no doubt that the voice heard on the re- cording was male, the court ex- pressed reservations about the case, ruling that the evidence did not prove the case beyond rea- sonable doubt. Lautier was acquitted of all charges. Lawyer Ezekiel Psaila was de- fence counsel. Man cleared of breaching protection order after verbally abusing his former partner Footage handed over by alleged victim did not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, court says