Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/513060
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 MAY 2015 News 9 JAMES DEBONO A new supermarket will replace a disused concrete manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Mosta in the vicinity of the MCAST cam- pus, to be taken over by the Lidl low-cost supermarket chain. A preliminary outline permit for the supermarket was approved back in February, after an applica- tion was presented by Fort Blocks Limited, a subsidiary of construc- tion firm Gatt Brothers Limited. Now a full permit application has been presented by Ricardo Magar- ini from Lidl Immobiliare, the Ital- ian arm of the Lidl supermarket chain. Replacing the existing Fort Blocks industrial complex, the new devel- opment will include a 1,390m² su- permarket, a 450m² fitness centre, a 1,450m² external fitness centre, a beauty centre, a childcare centre and an outside kids' area. The development will also in- clude an underground car park for 124 vehicles. The developers are arguing that the proposed location of the su- permarket, far away from the town centre, is ideal for customers com- ing from Burmarrad and St Paul's Bay, as well as for those coming from Rabat, Mgarr and Naxxar, who can reach the supermarket without driving through Mosta centre. "If such an application were pro- posed within or on the edge of the Mosta town centre, it would have aggravated Mosta's current traffic issue," the developers said prior to the supermarket's approval. A retail impact assessment car- ried out to assess the impact of the Mosta supermarket on other outlets prediceds that the greatest effect of customer displacement will be felt by GS Supermarket in Naxxar and Ta' Natu supermarket in Mosta. The RIA states that the new su- permarket's catchments area will include Mosta, Mgarr, Bidnija, Naxxar, Rabat and Mtarfa, whose residents will be the most likely to visit the supermarket for their shopping. The study concludes that the new supermarket will mostly at- tract customers from the Santa Margarita, Ta' Zokrija, Tal-Blata l-Gholja and Tal-Wej areas in Mosta. At the moment these areas form part of the GS Supermarket's catchment. Customers from Mellieha and St Paul's Bay who commute south- wards to their place of work are also expected to buy from the new supermarket. The study – which is commis- sioned by the applicants them- selves – claims there is no serious long-term threat to existing stores and that existing retailers will be able to respond to the higher com- petition "with aggressive market- ing and sales campaigns". In the long run the new super- market and GS supermarket would actively compete for business gen- erated by these neighbourhoods, but the study notes that GS Super- market's catchment area also in- cludes Iklin, San Gwann and parts of Birkirkara, which will not be af- fected by the opening of the new supermarket. Lidl has already tried to estab- lish itself in Mosta.In 2007 MEPA rejected an application presented by construction magnate Charles Polidano on an ODZ site known Ta' Mellu. New Lidl set to open in Mosta Liquidation Auction Sale of 2 Maisonettes & office furniture, & office equipment being held as instructed by the Court appointed liquidator at No. 10, 'LUPE' and No. 14. 'Eleanor' Triq Schembri, Hamrun. (corner with St. Joseph High Street and road leading to Victor Tedesco Stadium) ON SATURDAY 23rd MAY at 10 am e two Maisonettes situated on the first and second floor each having separate entrances accessed from an elevated front terrace common with the ground floor tenement. Maisonette No.14,'ELEANOR' has an entrance leading to a flight of steps to the first floor, leading to a sitting/dining with a balcony, 2 bedrooms, kitchenette & bathroom. Subject to Euros 11.65. per annum in perpetuity. All rooms having air-conditioners. Maisonette No. 10, 'LUPE' has a hallway leading to a stairway to the second floor and r oof level. Sitting/dining with a balcony, 2 bedrooms, kitchenette & bathroom. Subject to Euros 11.65 per annum in perpetuity. All rooms having air-conditioners. N.B. A 10% deposit shall be paid by the prospective buyer. e buyer shall also pay outstanding utility bills amounting to approx Euros 14,000. e Properties will be auctioned at 11.30 am Also being auctioned is the entire office furniture: Including quantity good quality writing desks & chairs, filing cabinets, office cabinets with glass doors, CANON photocopier AVAYA telephone system complete with 16 telephone sets, Brother fax machine, HP printer, boardroom table and chairs, & other office equipment. (all the office furniture is in very good condition. ) Viewing days: ursday 21st May and Friday 22nd From 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.30pm to 5 pm. Or b y appointment by phoning the Auctioneer For further information please contact: Dr. Stefano Filletti. John GingellLittlejohn e Liquidator. Auctioneer & appraiser Mob: 7970 8777 Mob: 9947 5040 e-mail: stefanofilletti@gmail.com e-mail: jgl@maltanet.net ODZ houses: MEPA approves replacement of derelict poultry farm JAMES DEBONO A recommendation to refuse a new dwelling to replace an abandoned poultry farm on St Leonard Road in Zabbar, was overturned by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Under a 2014 policy, MEPA can issue permits for the conver- sion of livestock farms that have been abandoned for over 10 years, into residences even if these are outside development zones. The floor space must be limited to 200 square metres. But in this particular case, the case officer argued that the farm formed part of a larger farm hold- ing, that was not included in the proposal, and which itself was be- ing proposed for another conver- sion into a dwelling. The Planning Directorate called on the architect to include the whole farm in the plans. But architect Robert Musumeci argued that the management and operation of the farm in question was completely independent from that of the adjacent farm. In fact another planning appli- cation was presented in 2004 by another owner, envisioning the development of a new dwelling to replace the abandoned poultry fa- cility on the adjoining farm. The case officer objected to the development, saying it would cre- ate blank party walls at the first floor level and because it included an extensive, 360-square metre paved area adjoining the dwelling, which would "detract the visual character of the wider rural con- text". Even the Environment Protection Directorate objected to the devel- opment of new dwellings in the countryside. "Such urban devel- opment is undesirable and should be restricted to the development zone," the directorate said. The case officer report's recog- nised that the new development would be a visual improvement over the dilapidated farm build- ing, but objected to the size of the paved area around the new house. The architect presented a land- scaping plan to mitigate the visual impact of the development. MEPA's Environment and Plan- ning Commission however issued the permit after proof was pro- vided to establish that the adjoin- ing farm belonged to a separate owner. The Planning Directorate had called for refusal for a similar re- quest on the adjoining farm. Lidl has filed a full permit application to build a supermarket at this site on the outskirts of Mosta