Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/467065
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2015 9 News MEPA was not involved in choice of 56 farm access roads, some of which are located in ecologically sensitive areas No permits required for farm access roads JAMES DEBONO NO planning permits are required for new farm access roads or the upgrading of existing ones when "the works are done by the gov- ernment, public agencies or local councils" a spokesperson for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority told MaltaToday. The MEPA spokesperson also confirmed that MEPA was not in- volved in the choice of a list of 56 farm access roads which will be eli- gible for €6.5 million in EU fund- ing. To benefit from EU funding the works have to be completed in 2015 "preferably before next June", a spokesperson for parliamentary secretary Ian Borg, who is respon- sible for EU funding, told MaltaTo- day last month. Although some of the works are being proposed in environmen- tally sensitive areas, none of the proposed works will require any further environmental studies and MEPA permits. According to the government spokesperson Transport Malta ar- chitects initially had assessed a to- tal of 138 proposals made by local councils. From this list 24 proposals were eliminated by Transport Malta and another three by the Funds and Programmes Division following further scrutiny. The criteria justifying the exclu- sion of projects included the need for further environmental studies, the need for MEPA permits and whether the roads in question were public or not. Rural sites earmarked for road upgrading include Raba Nemel, Hofret ir-Rizz and Wied l-Isqof in Rabat, Wied Rini in Bahrija, San Leonardu in Zabbar, Wied Hmir and the existing road between Ta' Baldu and Wied Hazrun in Dingli. According to MEPA exemption from permits only applies to cases when the access "is classified as a road" and does not serve other pur- poses. Calls for expressions of interest for EU funding for the same pur- pose issued before 2007 specified that any projects "deemed ineligi- ble by MEPA", were "automatically disqualified". All proposals had to be reviewed by an architect from the Ministry for Rural Affairs who had to consult with MEPA in or- der to identify whether the project required a MEPA permit or not. If no MEPA permit was required, the works were classified as " general maintenance" works. In 2010 MaltaToday had revealed that no planning permits were is- sued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to the Gozo ministry, for the asphalting of 56 countryside passages between 2005 and 2009. On that occasion MEPA said that all works conducted between 2005 and 2009 were directly related to the maintenance of existing pas- sageways that were damaged either through their daily use, or through the natural elements and therefore did not require a permit. The development of farm access paths by private individuals is regu- lated by the policy regulating ODZ development approved in 2014. According to the policy concrete access paths from roads to arable land holdings built prior to 2004 should be regularized. The policy stipulates that new ac- cess roads to arable land should be built in a way which respects the rural character. It also recommends that in some cases compacted soil is used instead of asphalt. the development to the runway. In its letter against the planned playing field, the Directorate recalled that it had "strongly objected" to the development of the supermarket in 2007 and pointed out it is object- ing to the latest application "for the same reasons". Signs in the car park erected after the permit was issued, still advise the general public that the site is located "within the direct path of low-flying aircraft" and therefore exposed to health and safety risks… "particu- larly in the event of an aircraft ac- cident". Legal Notice 80 of 2004 provides that when low-flying aircraft, at or near an aerodrome, are likely to be hazardous to people or vehicular traffic, the aerodrome operator is obliged to post hazard warning no- tices on any public way that is adja- cent to the manoeuvring area. A report by former MEPA audi- tor Joe Falzon confirmed that the permit for the supermarket was ap- proved by MEPA despite the objec- tions filed by the Civil Aviation au- thorities and the Malta International Airport, because the supermarket was located within 250m of runway 24, and its height was 2.5m higher than the runway approach protec- tion surface. The permit was even approved de- spite a previous refusal for a car hire firm to build a garage, because the site is within the public safety zone on the approach to runway 24. Luqa Lidl playing field C. Fenech Clarke Tyres Ltd. Bridgestone Tyre Centre. WE HAVE MOVED GROUP C. Fenech Clarke Tyres Ltd Bridgestone Tyre Centre We would like to advise our esteemed clientele that we are moving our operations from Timber Wharf, Marsa, to the Michael Debono Ltd Toyota Showroom in Mdina Road Z . ebbug . . Panoramic – Hofret ir-Rizz, in Rabat