Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/514194
8 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 MAY 2015 News EPD objects to Burmarrad petrol station JAMES DEBONO MEPA'S Environment Protec- tion Directorate is objecting to a 3,200 square metre petrol sta- tion proposed in Burmarrad by Construction and Turnkey House Ltd, a company owned by Joseph Attard from Paola. The development would in- clude storage facilities, a shop, tyre service garage, ATM and car wash facilities. A screening report by MEPA's environmental watchdog con- cludes that an Environment Im- pact Assessment is necessary for this application. But the directorate insists that even an EIA would not do away with the fact that any develop- ment on this site was "objectiona- ble from environmental and land use planning points of view". A Project Development State- ment presented to MEPA states that the site is covered with "wild flowers and patches of wheat and cereal probably originating from seeds either left over from previ- ous cultivation or transported by wind from neighbouring fields". The EPD cannot block a plan- ning application and its power is limited to determining whether a project needs an EIA or not. The 3,222 square metre site of the proposed petrol station is lo- cated just off Triq Burmarrad, an arterial road that leads to St Paul's Bay. The site is an abandoned field. The adjacent land uses are mainly agricultural in nature, the only exceptions being that of a residential villa a few meters uphill along the entrance to the site. Two other residences are lo- cated about 200m south west of the proposed development and a cemetery is found about 50m to the northeast. The proposed development is located approximately 250 me- ters from the built-up area of St Paul's Bay and approximately 350 metres from the built-up area of Burmarrad. The site falls within an Area of Agricultural Value (as per Local Plan policy NWAG 01) and lies adjacent to an Area of Contain- ment. Areas of Containment are ODZ sites where limited industrial ac- tivity is allowed. A policy approved last week by MEPA allows the approval of new petrol stations not only in Areas of Containment as originally pro- posed but also in areas which are adjacent or opposite these sites. In an original draft issued last year entirely new petrol stations could only be proposed within areas of containment and indus- trial areas and only relocated ones could apply in other rural ODZ areas. The new policy still allows re- located petrol stations to apply in rural ODZ areas while allowing new petrol stations in areas both within and adjacent to areas of containment. While in areas of containment petrol stations can be larger than 3,000 square metres, development is capped at 3,000 square metres in sites adjacent to such areas. Construction & Turnkey House Ltd, have been involved in the construction and real estate in- dustry since 2001. The company has lately decided to restructure and diversify its interests in the construction and running of a fuel station. The company is owned by Joseph Attard and Anthony Ciap- para. Attard is also the owner of Sunjoy company, which he co- owns together with parliamen- tary secretary Chris Agius. JAMES DEBONO AN auto dealer is seeking to build eight additional garages covering for mechanics, panel beaters and sprayers in a valley-protected zone in Ghaxaq. A new 600m2 parking area is also being proposed on undeveloped land. The proposed development is lo- cated at il-Maghqad off Hal-Tarxien Road, Ghaxaq and is being proposed by Ray Auto Dealer Limited. The site falls Outside Develop- ment Zone (ODZ), within the val- ley protection zone, and within approximately 150 metres of a reg- istered borehole. The developer is seeking the sanc- tioning of two existing basement garages to be used for light industry purposes, the excavation and con- struction of two units at basement level each having an area of 116m2, the construction of four overlying units at ground floor level adjacent to the existing units having an ap- proximate area of 146m2 and a 600m2 car park for 17 vehicles. A mechanic, panel beater and sprayer are currently using the four existing units covering 1,000m2. Two other units located at the basement have not been granted a permit. According to the developer the idea behind this proposal is pri- marily to encourage small business activities in an area which is located at a safe distance from the village, thus minimising the negative im- pact on human health. MEPA's Environment Protection Directorate has exempted the de- velopment from conducting an en- vironment impact assessment but expressed concern on the further intensification of an industrial ac- tivity within ODZ. According to a screening report the project may increase the risk of contamination of water through the potential release of polluted waters into the underlying aquifer. But the report states that standard design-based and operational meas- ures should be sufficient to ensure that there are no risks of contamination of water from releases of pollutants. The original permit on the same site was issued to Raymond Zammit for the construction of a workshop for ornamental stone carving and molding. In 1999 Zammit applied to con- struct basement stores and work- shops. The application was refused by MEPA and this decision was confirmed on appeal. In 2007 Zammit applied for a change of use from stone carving workshop to mechanic and panel beater. This permit was approved two years later. But an application to construct 25 garages was turned down in the same year. More industrial garages proposed on Ghaxaq ODZ site Police escort couple through traffic as woman about to give birth Dad-to-be seeks police assistance as couple gets stuck in traffic during rush hour on way to hospital THE morning rush hour proved to be too much for a couple attempt- ing to get to Mater Dei Hospital who got stuck in the traffic even as the wife was in labour. The parents-to-be were left with no option but to call the Police re- questing assistance to reach the hospital in time as the woman's contractions were getting closer. The Police Control Room re- ceived the urgent call at around 8am, when a man explained that he and his wife were stuck in traf- fic, and that his wife about to give birth. Two police officers, PC 248 An- thony Axiaq and PC 1256 Simon Schembri, rushed to the couple's location and started coordinating the traffic so that the man could drive through. A third officer, SM 888 Dunstan Camilleri, awaited the couple in the vicinity of Mater Dei hospital to ascertain that they were not blocked from making it in time. "They humbly said that it was nothing extraordinary and was within their line of duty. However we believe it was worth sharing with our followers," the Police's communications office said on Facebook. It is not the first time the Police have been requested to assist pa- tients stuck in traffic: last week, traffic police saved the life of a woman who had an asthma attack in a car. The police had rushed to the woman's aid, escorting her to a health centre where she im- mediately received the necessary treatment. Site for a proposed petrol station in Burmarrad Helpful policemen to the rescue in rush hour traffic Aerial image of the site in 2012