Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/827043
3 maltatoday, TUESDAY, 23 MAY 2017 News PORTOMASOLIVE.COM REGISTER NOW 1 2 3 Register your personal account JOIN DEPOSIT EARN CASHBACK Place your deposit, play & participate in our promotions You're always a winner at Portomaso Live You're always a winner Muscat insists 'crazy' ODZ boundaries must be redrawn TIM DIACONO PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat suggested yesterday that a new Labour government will revise the development zone bounda- ries, but without decreasing the total area of land classified as non-developable (ODZ). Speaking at a debate organ- ised by environmental NGOs, Muscat said that some of the boundaries drawn up by the re- vised local plans in 2006 were "crazy" and must be redesigned. However, he insisted that any extension of development zones will be compensated by extend- ing ODZ zones elsewhere, argu- ing that "some sites are simply too beautiful to be left open for construction". "It is not within the govern- ment's plan to expand any devel- opment zones, and if there is any change it should be in terms of compensation for the environ- ment," he said. "There are some areas that are too beautiful to be kept inside developable zones." MaltaToday reported in Janu- ary that the government is under intense pressure from aggrieved landowners who were left out of the 2006 rationalisation, to have their lands included in develop- ment zones – a move that would appreciate the value of their land. In line with the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Devel- opment (SPED), the government has hinted that it will render pri- vately owned ODZ land devel- opable, while compensating by adding public land to the ODZ boundaries. Indeed, former planning par- liamentary secretary Michael Falzon had justified tweaking the ODZ boundaries by accus- ing the former PN government of being "creative" in including certain lands, but not others. His justification echoed that of George Pullicino back in 2006, who justified the rationalization as an attempt to rectify anoma- lies created by the 1988 tempo- rary boundaries. Marlene Farrugia calls for Malta- owned racetrack in Sicily The debate, held at Din l-Art Helwa's Valletta premises, was often dominated by the gov- ernment's plans to construct a motor racetrack in Ta' Qali. Partit Demokratiku leader Mar- lene Farrugia came out strongly against plans to build a racetrack in Malta but suggested that the Maltese government buy land in Sicily, develop a racetrack there, and subsidise car enthusiasts' trips to the island. "The PD is dead-set against a racetrack, because our country simply cannot take it," she said. "A racetrack doesn't just take us in the direction of taking up more ODZ land, but there is also the noise and pollution elements to consider. "However, we can build a Malta-owned racetrack in Sic- ily. They have loads of land to spare that we can buy relatively cheap, and then subsidise motor enthusiasts' trips there." Joseph Muscat reiterated his plans to build a racetrack in Ta' Qali, but insisted that he will not accept any expression of interest that includes non-motorsports related ancillary facilities. "We had turned down a lot of expressions of interest by in- ternational developers because they had all involved ODZ land and developments such as yacht marinas and villas as well as the motor racetrack," he said. "That's not the sort of develop- ment we wanted, but rather we want a similar sort of develop- ment as that we recently attract- ed for the Marsa horse-racing track." PN leader Simon Busuttil said he is open to discussions on a motor racetrack, but that it shouldn't in any way be sited on ODZ land. "I realize that this is a strong point for Marlene, but we live in a democracy and I believe we can hammer out our differ- ences, iron them out and reach a compromise," he said. "I am open-minded to see if a solution can be found for the relevant en- thusiasts." Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola came out strongly against the plan, arguing it is folly for a racetrack to be built in the middle of a national park and that it will ef- fectively "turn our children into roundabouts". Green NGOs put off local plan revisions, end to finch trapping At the debate, the coalition of 12 green NGOs presented po- litical parties with a list of en- vironmental recommendations, including to postpone any revi- sion of Malta's local plans until at least 2026, which would make it 20 years since the last such re- vision. They also called for a complete overhaul of the 2014 rural policy and design policies, which they warned are full of development loopholes. "Any new petrol station ap- proved for an ODZ should not have ancillary facilities such as a car wash and a showroom," they said. "No net uptake of ODZ land through the publication of any revised local plans should be contemplated. All large-scale ODZ development should be subjected to approval by a two- thirds parliamentary major- ity and to the condition that an equivalent developable parcel of land becomes ODZ. The need for small-scale ODZ develop- ment such as reservoirs and tool rooms should be fully justified by applicants with ERA and with eNGOs, with permits be- ing withdrawn within the first year in case of abuse of permit conditions." The NGOs also called for an end to the current derogation on finch trapping, which they warned has caused extensive environmental damage, and for the establishment of a Wildlife Crime Unit within the police force to clamp down on illegal hunting and trapping. Other notable proposals in- clude renewed afforestation on public land, designating roads exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians, enforcing the separation of all waste at home, drafting a National Water Man- agement Plan, properly labeling all GMO foods, safeguarding the Valletta and Cittadella sky- lines, and forbidding Parliament from approving major construc- tion works before environmen- tal studies have been carried out. Simon Busuttil said that most of their proposals have already been included in the PN's envi- ronment policy document last year, and will be included in the party's election manifesto. The NGOs who drafted the proposal are: Din l-Art Helwa, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, BirdLife Malta, Friends of the Earth, Gaia Foundation, Nature Trust, Slow Food Malta, Ram- blers' Associaton, Ghaqda Bajja San Tumas, Noise Abatement Society of Malta, TerraFirma Collective, and Malta Water As- sociation. Joseph Muscat: "It is not within the government's plan to expand any development zones, and if there is any change it should be in terms of compensation for the environment