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12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 28 MAY 2025 NEWS Church school in Ghaxaq ODZ set to get ERA's blessing A memo by the environmental watchdog's directorate recommends clearance for the project after 26% reduction in footprint JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority's (ERA) Directo- rate is recommending clearance for the construction of a church school on ODZ land in Għaxaq. The development will enable St Albert College to relocate out of Valletta to a more spacious, modern building. The site in Għaxaq is agricul- tural land situated at Dawret Ħal-Għaxaq, the main road that cuts through the village and con- nects Bir id-Deheb to Gudja. A final decision informed by the directorate's report is due on Friday. Although ERA does not have the final say on the project's approval, its clearance will have a bearing on the Planning Author- ity's decision. Despite the expected loss of 26,495sq.m of agricultural land, the directorate welcomed a number of improvements made from previous proposals, in- cluding the reorganisation of the school layout, the relocation of the running track to roof lev- el, and the removal of a football pitch. According to the report, these changes have resulted in a substantial reduction in land take-up and overall footprint. The new plans propose a reduc- tion in total land take-up from 35,875sq.m, as outlined in 2020, to 26,495sq.m—a 26% decrease. In view of these changes, the directorate has concluded that ERA's concerns on the project have been addressed and that it is favourably considering the revised proposal, subject to a number of conditions. These in- clude an obligation to re-use the soil removed from the site and the installation of horizontal- ly downward-pointing external lighting. The plans, presented by the Dominican order, foresee the erection of a school campus con- sisting of two three-storey build- ings and one two-storey building above ground level, an under- ground indoor sports complex, underground car park, and out- door sports facilities. Despite the improvements, the project will still have a number of significant environmental im- pacts. These include the exca- vation of 30,000 cubic metres of inert material, 12,000 cubic me- tres of which are to be re-used on site. The project will also neg- atively impact groundwater re- charge due to extensive soil seal- ing and the permanent loss of 26,495sq.m of agricultural land. A previous application had been subject to an Environmen- tal Impact Assessment (EIA). Following the assessment, ERA's directorate had objected due to the substantial loss of agricultur- al land. During the public ERA board meeting held on 15 Sep- tember 2023, the project's archi- tect requested a deferral of the case to revise the proposal and address ERA's concerns. The de- ferral was accepted, and revised plans were submitted for further assessment. The directorate took note of the shifting of buildings to re- duce land take-up, but the pro- posal still failed to address ERA's concerns regarding the loss of agricultural land. As a result, ERA's previous po- sition was reiterated. Notwithstanding the directo- rate's earlier recommendation, the ERA received an updated EIA taking into consideration further revised plans. These were referred back to the directorate for review. The school development con- forms to the local plan approved in 2006 which allocated this par- cel of agricultural land for school development. The land was ear- marked following a site selection study.