Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538630
JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 AUGUST 2025 NEWS Ghaxaq's ODZ elderly home may grow again AN extension is proposed for the Ghigo Community Residence in Għaxaq, first approved in 2007 and expanded through years of piecemeal additions. Just last year, the retirement home owners were allowed to add another floor, on top of one already approved in 2018. The latest application foresees an extension on adjacent ag- ricultural land along Triq Ħal Għaxaq. The proposed exten- sion includes a basement garage with 31 parking spaces, and an overlying 44 rooms spread over four floors, one of which is be- low street level. The home already has 74 rooms, with an additional 11 rooms approved but not yet con- structed. The home is located outside development zones (ODZ), in a rural hamlet where only limited residential development is al- lowed. Planning saga The first application – for an outline permit – dates back to 2006. Although unanimously re- fused by the planning commis- sion, the developers succeeded in their request for reconsideration, and the outline permit was grant- ed in 20a07. A full development permit for a two-storey building was issued a few months later despite objec- tions from Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar. In 2016, the developers sought an additional floor, receiving the permit in 2018. A subsequent application for two more floors was filed while the project was still under construction, but fol- lowing ERA's objections, this was downsized to an additional floor approved in 2024. The care home was official- ly inaugurated in April 2021 by Prime Minister Robert Abela and then-minister Michael Farrugia, with Abela describing it as offer- ing residents "beautiful views." Existing view Proposed view Malta leads the pack among EU countries for drop in emissions Malta recorded the steepest drop in greenhouse gas emissions among European Union member states in the first quarter of 2025, with a 6.2% reduction compared with the same period in 2024, according to Eurostat data MALTA recorded the steepest drop in greenhouse gas emis- sions among European Un- ion member states in the first quarter of 2025, with a 6.2% reduction compared with the same period in 2024, accord- ing to Eurostat data published Tuesday. The EU's overall greenhouse gas emissions were estimat- ed at 900 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2-eq), up 3.4% from 871 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2024. Over the same period, the bloc's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1.2%. Eurostat said the econom- ic sectors driving the largest year-on-year increases were electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, which rose by 13.6%, and households, which climbed 5.6%. Emissions fell slightly in three sectors: manufacturing (-0.2%), transportation and storage (-2.9%) and agriculture, forest- ry and fishing (-1.4%). Out of the EU's 27 mem- ber states, 20 recorded higher emissions, while seven reduced theirs. After Malta, the biggest declines were registered in Finland (-4.4%) and Denmark (-4.3%). Six countries: Bulgaria, Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Hun- gary and Greece, posted in- creases of more than 5%. Among the seven countries with declining emissions, three also recorded GDP contrac- tion: Estonia, Latvia and Lux- embourg. The other four, Denmark, Finland, Malta and Sweden, managed to cut emissions while expanding their economies. Emissions (File photo) KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt