Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/595929
6 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 4 NovEmbEr 2015 News Bilom group applies for ODZ petrol station James DeBOnO A 3,000 square metre petrol station set on the coast road next to a newly constructed roundabout at Bahar ic-Ca- ghaq opposite the Qalet Marku coastline is being proposed by Bilom group, one of Malta's fastest growing construction groups. Bilom Estates Limited direc- tor and shareholder Nathan Bartolo filed the application. Bilom Group's general manag- er, Michael Bugeja, is listed as the "client" in plans presented by the architect of the project. The applicant claims that he holds a "title of lease" over part of the land. Established in 1985 as a neighbourhood construc- tion company, Bilom Group emerged over the last years of existence as one of the leaders in the real estate market. The ODZ land where the huge petrol station is being proposed is described in the planning application as "disused land ". Plans submitted to MEPA fore- see the development of a car wash, a retail shop, an office and a store. The application is still being screened by MEPA, which has yet to inform the de- veloper whether the proposed development conforms to ex- isting policies. The application comes in the wake of a new policy regulating the development of ODZ petrol stations. The policy, enacted to improve safety standards, al- lows owners of petrol stations in urban areas to relocate to ODZ areas. But in so doing it allows them to enlarge fuel sta- tions to a maximum of 3,000 square metres. Brand new petrol stations can also be constructed in ODZ sites which are immediately next or opposite industrial or storage areas. Last year MaltaToday report- ed that a number of petrol sta- tion licences were being sold thanks to a rise in their value amid speculation that the new policy would allow larger petrol pump stations in ODZ sites. In submissions presented to MEPA last year the Malta Developers Association had also warned that the new policy risks rais- ing the "artificial value" of ex- isting fuel station licences. MEPA is already assessing four applications for the de- velopment of ODZ petrol sta- tions in the Maghtab, Bahar ic- Caghaq, Burmarrad and Salini area. Easysell Kia Malta Ltd, a company owned by the Tumas Group, is proposing a petrol station in Burmarrad. The pet- rol station is being proposed on a vacant site designated as an 'area of containment' but which was formerly a rural area ru- ined by past irregularities. Another proposal in Burmar- rad is being made by Construc- tion and Turnkey House Ltd. The development is being pro- posed next to an area of con- tainment on land designated for its agricultural value. The Environment Protection Direc- torate has already objected to this proposal. Another application was pre- sented by Luqa Construction Ltd to relocate an existing pet- rol station from Valley Road, Msida, to Triq is-Salini. A fuel station is also being proposed on a triangular plot of land wedged between Triq is-Salini to the west and Trejqet l-Arznu to the east. The sur- rounding area includes crop and livestock farms and small- scale industrial developments. Al fresco dining: Sliema council wants enforcement James DeBOnO A new planning policy which proposes a one stop system for permits for establishments set- ting tables and chairs on public land fails to indicate which entity would be responsible for the en- forcement of the new rules. The system is set to do away with multiple permits from the MEPA, Transport Malta and the Lands Department, but it remains unclear which entity would clamp down on those es- tablishments breaching the new rules. The Sliema council – one of the councils most affected by the new rules due to the large number of establishments along its promenades – expressed dis- appointment that "there is no mention as to which entity will be responsible for enforcement" of the proposed regulations. In its submissions to the Malta Environment and Planning Au- thority on the policy proposed to regulate the sector, the council insisted that the success of such a policy was highly dependent on the level of enforcement in place. Moreover the council laments that the role of local councils in enforcement will be weakened considerably through the new planning laws in view of the removal of part of the present planning act which states that a number of minor encroachments on public property "can be re- moved at the request of any pub- lic authority, including the local council". Neither does the policy oblige public authorities to consult with local councils when issuing per- mits for outside catering estab- lishments. The Sliema council is insisting on the right of local councils to have the legal basis to request the removal of illegally positioned tables and chairs. The new policy, if approved, will ban new kiosks from setting tables and chairs outside. But it will allow restaurants to place ta- bles and chairs to half the width of public promenades or belve- deres. The policy indicates that in these cases, tables and chairs have to be set facing the road, with pedestrians having the space facing the sea. Even on promenades, the area reserved for pedestrians is set at a minimum of 1.5 metres – which is barely the space required for two people to walk side by side. The new law also regulates the setting up of tables and chairs on both sides of any pavement with a width greater than 2.7 metres. In such cases a 1.5-metre mini- mum corridor has to be kept as a free passageway for pedestrians. Court orders destruction of 3,000 bottles of fake whiskey In June, representatives of Jack Daniel's Properties Inc. were informed by the Comptroller of Customs that during routine checks at the Freeport, a container had been found to contain the counterfeit alcohol matthew agius A court has ordered the destruction of 2,988 bottles of whiskey, which had been seized by customs at the Freeport in June this year, after con- cluding that they were counterfeit. On 30 June, 2015, representa- tives of Jack Daniel's Properties Inc. were informed by the Comptrol- ler of Customs that during routine checks at the Freeport, a container aboard the CMA CGM Fidelio had been found to contain the counter- feit alcohol. The bill of loading corresponding to the container listed it as being destined for the Libyan port city of Khoms. Tests carried out on samples from the bottles confirmed that the whis- key was not Jack Daniel's and upon closer inspection, trademarks and distinctive markings on the bottles were also found not to correspond with that of the original products. Presiding the First Hall of the Civil Court Judge Mark Mifsud declared that the bottles were contraband and had contravened intellectual property rights. The court ordered that all the bot- tles of fake whiskey be destroyed within 90 days. The proposed site of the ODZ petrol station on the Coast Road True or False? 2,988 bottles of fake Jack Daniels were discovered in a container at the Malta Freeport Government to introduce white paper to regulate estate agents martina BOrg THE government is in the process of launching a white paper aimed at regulating estate agents. Speaking at the 'Gvern li Jisma' public consultation yesterday, parliamentary secretary for eco- nomic growth Jose Herrera said that the property sector would be seeing a complete revamp with the creation of Property Malta, and that the white paper would outline the training and knowl- edge required by estate agents. "Such developments aim to reg- ulate development and to ensure that it complements the environ- ment, as well as to give the sector more professionalism." Herrera also explained that the need to develop the sector had arisen both due to growth from Maltese clients, as well as added numbers of foreigners working in Malta. Herrera looked forward to the publication of guidelines for the new Malta residence visa regulations to complement the country's already existing per- mit schemes and further gener- ate investment and wealth in the country. On his part, economy minis- ter Chris Cardona said that the success of the local economy de- pends on a number of players in the field, including families and smaller companies, and that the government was committed to creating diversification in the economy. Cardona pointed out that an av- erage of 17 jobs and eight compa- nies were being created on a daily basis and that some 10 registered unemployed were successfully finding employment every two days.