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16 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 NOVEMBER 2024 JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Relax with a drink and explore up to 6,500 movies, TV box sets, music tracks and more on your inflight entertainment. It's the ideal way to start your holiday. Fly Emirates to over 140 must-see destinations, including Dubai, Australia and ailand, and look forward to travelling in comfort. EMIRATES ECONOMY SPOILT FOR CHOICE 'Unacceptable', ERA tells Naxxar elderly home proponents THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority (ERA) has warned that the Naxxar land for an elder- ly home on 9,600sq.m of unde- veloped agricultural land is "not considered acceptable". The ERA said that such a pro- posal "would result in extensive take-up of undeveloped rural land, loss of the rural character of the area, introduction of urban uses beyond the development zone, and impacts on the land- scape." While noting that the project falls within the threshold of pro- posals requiring an Environmen- tal Impact Assessment (EIA), the ERA made it clear that an envi- ronmental impact assessment would not address its concerns regarding the loss of rural ODZ land. It is now up to the developers to decide whether to proceed with further studies despite the ERA's strong objections. The ERA has only one voting member on the Planning Board, and has no final say on such projects except in determining whether an EIA is required; how- ever, a negative recommendation from the authority must be con- sidered by the case officer. The proposed site encompasses farmland along Triq Wied Anġlu, at the corner with Triq il-Vittmi tan-Nar, Naxxar, in close prox- imity to the Victoria Lines and the Birguma quarry, which over- looks the Gharghur countryside. The area is designated as a Stra- tegic Open Gap in the local plans, where urban development is prohibited except for small-scale utility infrastructure. However, the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Devel- opment contains a loophole for elderly homes, which can be ap- proved in ODZ areas if "no oth- er feasible alternatives exist" in urban areas, when backed by a report showing no such sites are available. The application foresees the construction of an elderly home with 70 rooms, built over three floors above ground level and two basement levels, covering a foot- print of 3,600sq.m. The remain- der of the area is earmarked for landscaping. The land designated 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 company based in Santa Venera. He is rep- resented by architect Charles Bu- hagiar, who chairs the Building and Construction Consultative Council. The Planning Authority (PA) has already approved two ODZ elderly homes in Naxxar in the past seven years. The latest facility to be ap- proved was proposed by Labour councillor Marlon Brincat on the site of an abandoned farm in Sqaq l-Imnieqa, less than 500m away from another application and also located in the Strategic Open Gap between Naxxar and Gharghur. The permit is currently await- ing the outcome of an appeal filed by environmental NGOs. Another ODZ elderly home was constructed by GAP Limited fol- lowing a permit issued in 2017. Over 800 respondents have so far objected to the application in Birguma. Environmental watchdog warns that no EIA would resolve its concerns over the loss of undeveloped rural land Part of 9,600sq.m of undeveloped agricultural land earmarked for an elderly home