Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538131
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 AUGUST 2025 NEWS Supermarket plan resurfaces on Fgura site despite earlier PA exclusion DEVELOPER Anton Camilleri has submitted a zoning applica- tion to develop a supermarket on land known as Tax-Xemx u l-Qamar, along Triq id-Dejma in Fgura. The site forms part of a larger area that previously included a scrapyard and was added to the development zone in the 2006 extension of development bound- aries. In December 2023, the Planning Authority's Executive Council approved a zoning application al- lowing residential development on part of the site, community facilities on another, and a mixed- use development fronting Triq id-Dejma. A supermarket was originally proposed as part of the mixed-use area. However, when deciding the ap- plication, the Executive Council specifically agreed to exclude the development of a supermarket. It later emerged that the council had erroneously approved a plan that still referred to a supermarket on the site, despite its decision to exclude it. Camilleri was informed of this error in a letter dated 6 May 2025. In it, the secretary of the Executive Council clarified that a corrected plan, excluding the supermarket, had been approved by the minis- ter on 7 April. However, in the interim, on 11 April, Camilleri submitted a zon- ing application based on the pre- viously approved, erroneous plan. The application seeks "to identify and specifically delineate the zon- ing, square meterage and location for the planned supermarket de- velopment." This application was validated on 7 July and is set to go out for public consultation on 6 August. The Fgura local council had pre- viously objected to supermarket plans on another part of the same site, when Lidl proposed a similar development in 2017. During the public hearing on Camilleri's earlier zoning applica- tion, the local council's architect noted that the relevant local plan policy did not identify the site as suitable for a supermarket. For- mer Executive Chairman Oliver Magro also raised concerns about including a supermarket in the plans. In response, Camilleri argued that a supermarket would bring significant benefits to residents by improving walkable access to es- sential services. However, the Fgura council warned the area already suffers from heavy traffic congestion, es- pecially during peak hours, and that a supermarket would further increase traffic—particularly sup- ply vehicles—on the arterial road leading to Marsaskala, Xgħajra, Żabbar, and parts of Cottonera. Following these concerns, the executive chairman recommend- ed removing the supermarket from the proposal. At that point, Camilleri's archi- tect clarified that the plan was on- ly for a small, local-use supermar- ket and requested that its size be capped at 500 square metres. Ultimately, Camilleri's original zoning application was approved, but only after the proposed su- permarket was removed from the plans. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt