Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/829524
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 28 MAY 2017 7 News Bahrija landowners eyeing ODZ mega-project JURGEN BALZAN THE owner of a large tract of Bahrija land outside develop- ment zones, Norman Zammit, is eyeing the inclusion of 12,000 square metres of land in a forth- coming local plan re-write by the Planning Authority. MaltaToday has learnt that in 2013, Zammit approached a number of potential investors where he informed them that he would ask the Planning Author- ity, then known as MEPA, for a change in scheme to include his land in the development zone. Zammit, formerly one of the owners of the controversial Eliza Company, which acquired the Bahrija land, is said to be eyeing the development of a mega-pro- ject that will include residential units, a school, an old people's home, a day-care centre and agri-tourism. The area includes protected zones and agricultural land. The developers have ear- marked a circular shaped area, currently occupied by agricultur- al land, as a strategic open area. Sources said Zammit has spo- ken of having targeted inves- tors in Dubai and other Asian countries, who are interested in purchasing Maltese citizenship through the Individual Investor Programme, the conditions of which include acquiring a prop- erty for at least €350,000. The land is part of a larger tract of land in Bahrija purchased by now defunct Eliza Company Ltd for €2.5 million in 1997 from Salvatore Consoli-Palermo-Nav- arra. While trying to get farmers evicted off the land, Eliza had put up the land for sale in 2005 for €30 million. The potential of the land in its present state is highly restricted and the market value of the tract of land behind St Martin Church amounts to some €750,000. But Zammit is hoping to en- hance the potential of the land by having 12,000 sq.m of it included in the development zone. If the Planning Authority does include the land within the development boundaries, the price of the land can shoot up to over €7 million. New local plans are expected to be completed after the 3 June election after being postponed by the current Labour administra- tion. This has fuelled speculation that the juggling of development boundaries and new building heights for Maltese towns will take place after the June 3 gen- eral election. In 1999 Zammit was charged with the theft of 15 paintings from a villa, together with Gen- eroso Sammut, another former shareholder of Eliza Company. Zammit, a former Metco chair- man, and, Sammut, were ac- cused of stealing paintings, fur- niture and other items from Villa Fiorentina in Attard. They were later acquitted of the theft due to "lack of evidence". Zammit had also been ordered by a court to pay back Bank of Valletta a €1.9 million loan taken out to buy the land. In 2009, former PN president Victor Scerri was forced to resign his role on the party executive after having developed a farm- house on land originally acquired from Eliza. The farmhouse devel- oped in the middle of the pristine Bahrija countryside provoked mass outrage by environmental- ists and was later put up for sale by Scerri. irman's new wraps The former CEO of the Plan- ning Authority was appoint- ed executive chairman, with added responsibilities which include chairing the PA's ex- ecutive council, following the approval of the new planning law. The PA spokesperson con- firmed that in the interim, the executive chairman is being paid the same salary (and al- lowances) previously enjoyed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. As CEO, Johann Buttigieg was receiving an annual salary of €60,000, €10,000 less than his predecessor Ian Stafrace, made in his final year in office. When he was appointed in 2011, Stafrace received a basic salary of €65,000 – which was set to increase to €70,000 in the second and third years of his appointment. Buttigieg, who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the PA, is earning three times as much as present PA chair- man Vince Cassar, who was appointed on a part-time ba- sis with a salary of €18,000. In 2013, his predecessor, Austin Walker, who was initially ap- pointed as executive chairman in 2008, received an annual salary of €93,000. The executive chairperson may only be dismissed by a res- olution of the House of Repre- sentatives at any time "for a just cause". The law also speci- fied that failure to achieve "the targets and objectives set for him by the Minister", amount to a just cause for dismissal. during election week ist victory. This sportsbook was also offering odds of 1.70 on a Labour – 15,000 votes handicap or 2.02 for the Na- tionalist Party with a handicap of +15,000 votes. Another bet being offered on the election is a €1.85 win on each eu- ro played on either Labour or the Nationalists winning three seats in Gozo. In 2013, Labour clinched three seats by a whisker, although it is possible that the situation is re- versed in this election with a Mal- taToday survey on Gozo recently giving the PN a 2% lead. LeoVegas is also offering odds of 1.25 on a Labour win, and 3.50 on a PN victory, and handicaps on the number of votes obtained by either party. Betfair was also offering odds of 1.28 for Muscat and 3.10 for Bu- suttil with Marlene Farrugia, Ar- nold Cassola and Henry Battistino available for setting multiples. The project spans over some 15,000 square metres of ODZ land in Bahrija