Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/664438
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 APRIL 2016 8 News Planning Authority 's agricultural panel purged of its original members JAMES DEBONO THE Agriculture Advisory Committee, one of the planning authority's most pro- active consultative bodies, has seen the replacement of all its original members, who included Sammy Vella, an agricultural expert and former independent mayor of Mellieha and present chairman of the Maj- jistral nature and history Natura 2000 Park. Created in 2014, the AAC is tasked with advising on planning applications related to agricultural development and assessing the "genuine need" for such development. Ac- cording to its terms of reference it should serve "as an independent body made up of persons of integrity and experts". During its brief existence – it had been operating for about a year – the commit- tee objected to a number of permits, citing the lack of a "genuine need". MaltaToday is informed that the former board members were not even informed that their services were no longer required on the committee. Contacted by MaltaToday one of the members of the AAC, agricultural expert Sammy Vella expressed disappointment at the way the members of the committee were replaced. "I have written to the Prime Minister to tell him that courtesy demands that members of an official committee should be informed when their services are no longer required," he said. Three months ago Vella had written to the Prime Minister expressing concern about a number of permits which were awarded despite the contrary advice of the AAC and about a number of cases where the advice of the AAC was not even sought. One notable case where the AAC's advice was not sought was the permit for the con- struction of the villa, instead of a garage, issued to Roderick Farrugia, son-in-law of former Labour MP Bertu Pace, which is now in the process of being revoked by MEPA. Subsequently a meeting was held on 27 January with MEPA chairman Vince Cassar and CEO Johann Buttigieg. "I was promised that a meeting would be held during which the permits which I had brought to their notice would be discussed. But no follow up meeting was ever held." The board was composed of MEPA of- ficials Sylvio Farrugia and Charmaine Muscat, Philip Aquilina from the Agricul- ture Directorate, Charles Spiteri from the Veterinary Regulation Department, James Gauci from the Agriculture Paying Agency and independent members Joe Gerada and Sammy Vella. The present board is chaired by Sharlo Camilleri, with members Dr Duncan Chet- cuti Ganado, Joseph Zammit, James Gauci, Frankie Ivan Caruana, Sandro Sammut and Emanuel Sapiano. AAC systematically ignored A probe by MaltaToday in January re- vealed a number of cases related to the conversion of agricultural structures where the Environment and Planning Commis- sion overturned the AAC's recommenda- tions, even in cases where the committee had made it clear that there was no genuine agricultural need for the proposed devel- opment. One such case involved the approval of an agricultural store beneath Fort Bingemma, which was controversially approved last September. MEPA also overruled the advice of the AAC not to approve the regularisation of an illegally built 90-square metre store below the fortified city of Mdina, which is highly visible from Il-Pjazza tas-Sur. MEPA also defied the AAC by issuing a permit to regularise illegal stores at Hofret ir-Rizz in Rabat. From left: Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Deborah Schembri, Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg and the Authority's Chairperson Vince Cassar Two ODZ old people's homes being proposed in Naxxar and Fgura JAMES DEBONO TWO separate applications have been submitted envisioning old people's homes in ODZ areas, one replacing a derelict struc- ture along Triq il-Gharghur in Naxxar, and the other in Fgura overlooking Wied Blandun. The Naxxar proposal earmarks a 4,625 square metre site be- tween Sqaq l-Imnieqa and Triq il-Gharghur, and involves the demolition of the derelict struc- ture and its conversion into an old people's home built over three floors. According to plans presented by GAP Limited only 360 square metres of the Naxxar site are presently built up. But the plans refer to a larger foot- print taking up 1,970 square metres for a building built be- fore 1978, of which 1,610 square metres no longer exist. The new project has a proposed footprint of 1,959 square metres. The application is justified by policy 6.2 C included in Rural Policy and Design Guidance 2015, which limits the redevel- opment or replacement building to the existing footprint. But the policy also allows developers to rebuild the ruins of older build- ings. An application on the same site by former owners to rede- velop the existing dwelling as a villa was turned down in 1994. Another application to develop residential units was refused in 1999. GAP Limited is a leading prop- erty developer whose projects include the Fort Cambridge de- velopment in Tigne, including a proposed 40-storey hotel devel- opment in the same area, as well as the proposed development of residential complexes in Ta' Masrija in Mellieha. Fgura application Another application for a six- storey old people's home is be- ing proposed on a partly ODZ site facing Wied Blandun in Fgura, fronting Triq Valperga. The area is subject to an en- forcement order against illegal dumping and the placing of ma- chinery on the site dating back to 2010. The application has been pre- sented by property developer Desmond Mizzi. An application by a previous owner envision- ing the construction of a four- courses wall enclosing the site was refused in 2001. The site in Triq il-Gharghur, Naxxar, site for a proposed home for the elderly WIN a book To win answer the right question tick the right answer/answers? o Aircraft carrier illustrious sank in the Grand Harbour o Sir George Borg received the George Cross on behalf of the Maltese o Savoia Marchetti was AN Italian General planning the invasion of Malta Send your answers by 14 April to: MediaToday, WIN A BOOK FROM BDL, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann published by BDL Malta Diary of a War, 1940 - 1945