Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/714702
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST 2016 6 News Small shop owners urged to join hands to combat supermarket competition JAMES DEBONO AN old 77m2 structure at San Anard in Zabbar, surrounded by an illegal boundary wall which had originally consisted of a 28m2 off-guard military post, has been extended as a full blown 141 square metre dwell- ing with a swimming pool. The permit was issued in defiance of the advice of the Environment and Resources Authority, confirming a trend which is exposing the imbal- ance in power between the two authorities. The permit was granted on the pretext that the 1960 elec- toral register specified that three people lived in the struc- ture. Moreover the current owner, Salvu Grech submitted proof that he bought the structure from the descendants of the family listed in the electoral register. According to the case officer the existing structure is legal as it is visible in aerial photos taken in 1978. But the surrounding wall and gate are clearly a more recent interven- tion. In fact the PA has also regu- larised a number of illegalities consisting of a boundary wall, a two-metre high gate and a ramp. In approving the develop- ment the PA completely dis- regarded the advice of the Environment and Resources Authority. In a memo sent to the PA, the ERA noted that the origi- nal building documented in a 1968 survey sheet consists of a 28 square metre structure. The ERA noted that this has sprawled into "a new full blown residential unit" occupying 400 square metres of land (which includes the area enveloped by the illegal wall and gate). The ERA noted that photos submitted with the application indicate that the old structure has been extended significantly while the remainder of the site has seen a loss of agricultural land and the "formalisation of the site" through paving. According to the ERA the additions made to the small rural structure has resulted in "an urban type" development and the take up of undeveloped rural land. It also expressed its concern on the trend to grant "retroactive sanctioning of a number of similar develop- ments carried out in the ODZ without any environmental consideration." In view of this the ERA called on the PA to or- der the developer to remove all the illegalities on the site and restore the site to its original state. Instead the PA has now approved a small villa with pool. TIM DIACONO SMALL-TIME retailers who are feeling the sting of competition from supermarket giants have been advised to put their differ- ences aside and form their own cooperatives. Gian Giorgio Galea, the owner of a cash register store in Paola and a technical consultant to retailers, told MaltaToday that a group of food retailers in the area had fol- lowed his advice a few years ago and formed their own cooperative. This essentially means that they pool each other's resources, which allows them to purchase prod- ucts from wholesalers in bulk and make use of each other's storage facilities. Galea said that around 12 food shops in Paola have now joined this cooperative, and that the concept has now spread to neighbouring Zejtun. Indeed, he expressed hope that the cooperatives will expand fur- ther to also include other retailers such as ironmongers and pharma- cies. Galea contacted MaltaToday in the wake of a report by this pa- per on the deleterious effects of LIDL supermarkets on the sales of nearby retailers in San Gwann and Hamrun. Many retailers said that they were unable to compete against the German discount supermar- ket, which can afford to sell food on the cheap because they buy it in bulk. Some expressed exasperation that people are overseeing their quality produce in favour of cheap- er fruit and vegetables from LIDL, which were commonly decried as "tasteless" and "garbage". "In this day and age, no small business which wants to compete can go it alone," Galea said. "In my opinion, small grocers have a strong future ahead – after all they're the shops that housewives seek out. However, they have to hold hands and join forces; nobody else will step in for them." He said that the challenge for re- tailers lies in learning to trust each other, a problem which he claimed is more endemic in the north of the island than in the south. "They shouldn't be looking at each other as competitors. They're stuck in an antiquated mindset, enclosed within four walls." tdiacono@mediatoday.com.mt Assailant claims he was provoked CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Questions sent to At- torney General Peter Grech, including why the appeal was lodged, whether his office scrutinises all planning applications to identify any possible breach of policies, why an appeal was lodged for this case and not others and whether he will ap- peal the Mriehel and Sliema high-rise decisions remained unanswered by the time of going to print. LIKE scores of other permits approved in the past years the permit for the extension of the winery's cellars was granted despite being deemed to be in breach of policy by the case officer. The PA's board later turned down a request to revoke the permit made by its own Planning Di- rectorate. The call to revoke the permit was made because of a procedural mistake made by the board which issued the permit. On Friday, Muscat was charged with slightly in- juring Mario Vella, 61, and damaging Vella's car. He was also charged with obstructing traffic and breaching the public peace. A video posted online by The Times of Malta showed Muscat storming out of his crossover SUV and assaulting Vella, following a heated ver- bal exchange which allegedly took place whilst the two were still driving. Muscat was also filmed assaulting Vella with what is believed to have been a tool that he got out from the trunk of his BMW. A third driver was seen stopping his car to break up the argument. Appearing for Muscat, lawyer Franco Debono said his client had been visiting his son at Mater Dei Hospital, where he was in intensive care. Muscat is pleading not guilty to the chargers and has accused Vella of provoking him. He was granted bail against a deposit of €800 and a personal guarantee of €3,000. Speaking to the media, Vella said the squabble started while the two were driving out of Mater Dei Hospital: Muscat reportedly blocked his way and Vella called him "an idiot and animal"; Vella report- edly swore at Muscat and offended his family. Retailer consultant urges small grocers to stop viewing each other as competitors and to form their own cooperatives ERA ignored again by the Planning Authority Small-time retailers have warned that supermarket chains like LIDL have dealt a hammer blow to their sales The former military post in Zabbar was granted a permit as a dwelling with pool after an illegal wall and gate were regularised