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9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 11 SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Stephen Vella appointed MCAST Principal and CEO ODZ elderly home proposed in Birguma THE Malta College of Arts, Sci- ence & Technology (MCAST) has appointed Stephen Vella as its new Principal and Chief Executive Officer. The College issued a call for applications for this position last June. VELLA brings over two decades of experience in vocational edu- cation and a strong track record of leadership within MCAST. Vella's academic journey be- gan at Savio College and Stella Maris College. He continued his degree stud- ies at the University of Mal- ta and Falkirk College of Arts in Scotland. He also holds an MBA from the Henley School of Management. Vella's professional career commenced in 1993 at the Salvatore Dimech School for Craftsmen, where he taught Graphic Design and Photogra- phy. His passion for vocational education was quickly recog- nised, leading to his promotion in 2003 to Deputy Director of the institution. In this role, Stephen Vella was instrumental in enhancing the school's curriculum, streamlin- ing operations, and fostering a culture of innovation. In 2008, he was appointed Di- rector of the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts. Under his guidance, the Institute experi- enced substantial growth, with a marked increase in student enrollment and the introduc- tion of new higher diplomas and Degree courses in Fine Art, Interactive Media, Photogra- phy, and Media. In 2015, Vella assumed the role of Head of the Technical College at MCAST, further ex- panding his influence within the institution. In March 2017, he was appointed General Manager at MCAST Gateway to Industry, the College's com- mercial arm. He helped raise MCAST's international profile, representing the institution at major global fairs and conven- tions. In 2021, Vella was appointed Deputy Principal for Business Development and Commu- nications. In this capacity, he continued to drive the institu- tion's growth by spearheading business development initia- tives, managing infrastructural projects, and leading market- ing strategies. Stephen Vella A home for the elderly home is being proposed on 9,325 sq.m of farmland along Triq Wied Anglu at the corner with Triq il-Vittmi tan-Nar, Naxxar, in close vicini- ty to the Victoria Lines and the Birguma quarry, which overlook the Gharghur countryside. The area is designated as a Strategic Open Gap in the local plans, where urban development is prohibited except for small- scale utility infrastructure. How- ever, the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development contains a loophole for elderly homes, which can be approved in ODZ areas if "no other feasi- ble alternatives exist" in urban areas and following the pres- entation of a report showing that no such sites exist. The application foresees the construction of an elderly home with 70 rooms, built on three floors above ground level and two basement levels, covering a footprint of 3,600 sq.m. The rest of the area is earmarked for landscaping. The land earmarked for the development consists of agricul- tural land, described as "fallow" in the application presented by landowner Arthur Tonna, who also owns an auto parts compa- ny based in Santa Venera. The plans for the ODZ development have been presented by archi- tect MP Charles Buhagiar, who chairs the Building and Con- struction Consultative Council. The PA has already approved two ODZ elderly homes in Naxxar in the past seven years. The latest facility to be approved was proposed by Labour coun- cillor Marlon Brincat on the site of an abandoned farm in Sqaq l-Imnieqa, less than 500 meters away from the latest application and also located in the Strategic Open Gap between Naxxar and Gharghur. The permit is cur- rently awaiting the outcome of an appeal filed by environmen- tal NGOs. Another ODZ elderly home was constructed by GAP Limited following a permit is- sued in 2017, 700 meters away from the latest application. The Planning Authority (PA) has already approved two other ODZ elderly homes in the countryside between Naxxar and Gharghur, one in 2017 and another last year The 9,325 sq.m of farmland along Triq Wied Anglu at the corner with Triq il-Vittmi tan-Nar in Naxxar