Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541835
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 DECEMBER 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt A magical Christmas market at Palazzo Francesco, Lija THE festive season is about to get even brighter with the Christmas Market at Palazzo Francesco in Lija, taking place between 19 and 21 December 2025. This three-day celebra- tion will be held in the historic Palazzo Francesco, which will be open to the public for the very first time, making the event even more special. The market will officially open on Friday, 19 Decem- ber at 5pm, with the Pres- ident of Malta H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono honouring us with her presence. Festivities on Friday will continue until 11pm, while on Saturday and Sunday the market will run from 10am to 11pm, giving families and visitors plenty of time to enjoy the experience. Visitors can look forward to a wide variety of Christ- mas-themed stalls, each manned by NGOs. All pro- ceeds will go directly to their causes, adding a meaningful touch to the season of giv- ing. Alongside the stalls, the atmosphere will be filled with music from 13 local band clubs representing different localities across Malta, per- forming throughout the three days. Children will be entertained with animations, games, and roaming Christmas mascots, ensuring plenty of fun for the little ones. Tradition will also be celebrated through a crib exhibition featuring around 20 cribs, beautifully displayed for the public to admire. To make the event acces- sible and stress-free, a park- and-ride service will operate between the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary parking ar- ea and Palazzo Francesco. The market is fully accessible for persons with disabilities, en- suring everyone can enjoy the festivities. This Christmas Market is the perfect opportunity for fam- ilies to come together, expe- rience the magic of the sea- son, and enjoy a truly unique event in a remarkable setting. THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION PA approves ODZ swimming pools in Zabbar despite ERA objection TWO swimming pools proposed on ODZ land at the edge of Żab- bar's Nissieġ area have been ap- proved by the Planning Authority, despite opposition from the envi- ronment watchdog. The Environment and Resourc- es Authority had warned the pools will contribute to further land take-up outside the development zones and contribute to the for- malisation of rural land. The application, filed by Sil- van Mizzi—listed as a business partner of construction magnate Joseph Portelli—concerns two ground-floor swimming pools and PVC decking linked to maison- ettes forming part of a mixed-use block approved last year. The pools had already been pro- posed in the original application but were removed after ERA ob- jected to them. The site lies in Triq in-Nissieġ, an ODZ edge plot without herit- age or archaeological constraints. However, ERA had argued that the proposal represents a further encroachment into the rural ar- ea, contributing to sprawl beyond the footprint already committed by the previous development. The ERA had already expressed concern about the original appli- cation, which designated the ar- ea now earmarked for pools as a landscaping zone. Despite ERA's objection, the case officer assessing the swim- ming pools application concluded that the proposal complies with all criteria of the Rural Policy and Design Guidance (2014), which regulates the construction of swimming pools in ODZ areas. According to the report, each pool remains below the 75sq.m limit allowed for pools linked to legally established residences. No ancillary buildings are planned, and the applicant is pledging to create soft-landscaped areas using indigenous species. The report stresses that because the pool structures are being add- ed within the curtilage of an al- ready-approved residential block, and because the design falls within the parameters of the rural policy, the directorate found "no suffi- cient planning grounds" to refuse the permit. The case comes amid a growing trend in which ODZ swimming pools are being added to newly approved residential blocks locat- ed directly on the development zone boundary. This practice is increasingly criticised by environ- mental NGOs for blurring the line between urban and rural land. These edge-of-zone projects often receive permission for res- idential units under one appli- cation, followed by a second ap- plication to extend recreational amenities into the ODZ portion of the same parcel. Photomontage showing pools next to new development