Volume of objections is a clear indication of residents’ anger at such projects

Over 1,000 Gozitan and Maltese residents have objected to an application to change the zoning of 5,387 sqm of agricultural land that is currently designated as ODZ to a residential development zone in Għarb. This application is a total non-starter due to its outrageous re-zoning of ODZ land to residential development request, not to mention the flagrant disregard for a number of planning and development laws. If given the green light, the application would set a very ugly precedent and pave the way for further devastation of the Gozitan landscape and rural setting, spelling disaster for Għarb and other quaint Gozitan villages. 

The Birbuba area in Għarb serves as a green enclave and a much-needed open space, offering a respite from the uglification that has come to taint our landscape. Besides being prized for its tranquil, quaint setting and rural authenticity, the land is also used for agricultural purposes. Its re-zoning and eventual urbanization would spell disaster for the agricultural community, since it would facilitate the further loss and take-up of agricultural land for residential development, sealing the fate of the local agricultural industry. 

The rezoning of land Outside Development Zone to residential development is clearly prohibited by the laws of Malta and runs counter to a number of planning policies, meaning that the application’s request is technically unlawful. Nothing can ever justify the change in zoning from ODZ to residential development. The Planning Authority is therefore bound to refuse the application on these grounds, and we are retaining the authorities directly responsible for breach of law if their decision is in favour. 

The application goes one step further, and besides the re-zoning of ODZ request, it even proposes a new road. Presently, given the fact that traffic is very minimal, there is absolutely no evidence that the new proposed access road is required to alleviate traffic problems, nor is there any evidence that this land is required to support current or foreseeable future housing needs. The purpose of the road would be to facilitate access to any eventual residential development and cater for new traffic in the area that would result from such a development. If anything, this only serves as confirmation that the application is only fuelled by the greed and private interests of some developers.

The fact that it is being led by one of Joseph Portelli’s employees is not surprising. Applications such as this are clear evidence of the impunity enjoyed by certain developers, who will go to all lengths to satiate their insatiable greed. Obscene rezoning and development applications such as this are becoming the norm due to the systemic dysfunction of the planning system. The planning system has intentionally been designed to serve the needs of developers, with the result that it totally disregards the needs of the people whose quality of life keeps on deteriorating. 

The Għarb Local Council has also voted unanimously against the application, stating that “the residents and the locality have always been the first priority above everything else ensuring that the health and peaceful life of the residents, including the tranquillity, beauty and clean area is enjoyed in the locality.” We, therefore, urge the Planning Authority to take due consideration of the Local Council’s position and heed the call of over 1,000 concerned citizens who have objected to this application and demanded its outright refusal. 

All residents across Gozo are tired of the pollution, noise, chaos and environmental destruction that unbridled development has brought in every town and village. We retain that authorities and politicians must shoulder their responsibility and take immediate action to safeguard our country from this incessant environmental destruction, so that we can truly say that this is the Malta we want for our children.

‘Il fuq minn elf ruħ joġġezzjonaw għal żvilupp fuq ODZ fl-Għarb

In-numru kbir ta’ oġġezzjonijiet huwa indikazzjoni ċara tar-rabja tar-residenti lejn proġetti bħal dawn

’Il fuq minn 1,000 resident Għawdxin u Maltin oġġezzjonaw għal applikazzjoni li qed tipproponi l-bidla fid-deżinjazzjoni t’art agrikola li tkopri medda ta’ 5,387 sqm ODZ f’żona magħrufa bħala Birbuba, fl-Għarb għal żvilupp residenzjali. Din l-applikazzjoni hija totalment inaċċettabbli peress li qiegħda sfaċċattament titlob li tinbidel id-deżinzjazzjoni ta’ art ODZ biex ikun permess żvilupp residenzjali, biex ma nsemmux il-ksur ċar ta’ diversi liġijiet tal-ippjanar u l-iżvilupp li tippreżenta. Jekk tiġi approvata, se tkun qed toħloq preċedent ikrah ħafna u twitti t-triq għal aktar qerda u sfreġju tal-pajsaġġ Għawdxi, bil-konsegwenza li l-Għarb u villaġġi oħra Għawdxin se jitilfu l-identità tagħhom. 

L-inħawi ta’ Birbuba fl-Għarb iservu ta’ spazju rurali miftuħ u ta’ serħan mill-isfreġju li qed iħassar l-ambjent ta’ madwarna. Barra li hija mfittxija għat-trankwilità u s-sbuħija naturali tagħha, l-art tintuża wkoll għall-agrikoltura. Il-bidla fid-deżinjazzjoni u l-iżvilupp tagħha jkunu jfissru biss kundanna għall-komunità tal-biedja lokali, peress li jekk tiġi approvata jinħoloq preċedent li jiffaċilita aktar teħid ta’ art agrikola għal żvilupp residenzjali.

Il-bidla fid-deżinjazzjoni ta’ art Outside Development Zone għal żona ta’ żvilupp residenzjali hija ċarament mhux permessa mil-liġijiet ta’ Malta u tmur kontra numru ta’ policies tal-ippjanar, li jfisser li l-applikazzjoni hija teknikament kontra l-liġi. M’hemm xejn li jista’ qatt jiġġustifika li medda art rurali bħal din titlef id-deżinjazzjoni ta’ Outside Development Zone biex jinbena żvilupp residenzjali fuqha. Għalhekk qed inqisu lill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar obbligata li tirrifjuta din l-applikazzjoni abbażi ta’ dan, u qed inżommuha direttament responsabbli għal ksur tal-liġi jekk id-deċiżjoni tkun favur.

L-applikazzjoni ma tiqafx hawn, u barra l-bidla fid-deżinjazzjoni, tipproponi wkoll li tinbena triq ġdida li ċarament m’hemm l-ebda bżonn għaliha fil-preżent. Attwalment, m’hemm l-ebda problemi ta’ traffiku fiż-żona, u għalhekk ħadd ma jista’ jgħid li din it-triq qed tiġi proposta biex issolvi xi problemi ta’ traffiku jew bżonnijiet ta’ akkomodazzjoni. It-triq se tkun qiegħda litteralment twitti t-triq għal espansjoni ta’ żoni tal-iżvilupp u huwa evidenti li l-iskop tagħha huwa li tiffaċilita l-aċċess għall-iżvilupp residenzjali li huwa ppjanat u taqdi t-traffiku ġdid li se jinħoloq ladarba jinbena xi żvilupp residenzjali. Jekk xejn, din hija konferma oħra li l-unika raġuni wara din l-applikazzjoni huma l-interessi privati u kummerċjali ta’ xi żviluppatur.

Wieħed ma jiskanta xejn meta jara li wara din l-applikazzjoni hemm impjegat ta’ Joseph Portelli. Il-fatt li din applikazzjonijiet bħal din qed jiġu sottomessi huwa xhieda ċara tal-impunità li jgawdu ċertu żviluppaturi, li lesti jagħmlu kollox biex jissodisfaw ir-regħba tagħhom. Applikazzjoni ta’ żvilupp u bidla fid-deżinjazzjoni oxxeni bħal din qegħdin isiru n-norma minħabba li s-sistema tal-ippjanar ġiet imfassla apposta biex ma tiffunzjonax, bl-għan li tkompli taqdi l-interessi tal-iżviluppatur, waqt li fl-istess ħin tinjora l-interessi tal-poplu li kull ma jmur qed jara l-kwalità tal-ħajja tiegħu tkompli titnaqqar.

Il-Kunsill Lokali tal-Għarb ukoll ivvota unanimament kontra l-applikazzjoni, u stqarr li “ir-residenti u l-lokalità dejjem kienu l-ewwel prijorità tagħna, sabiex niżguraw li s-saħħa u l-ħajja trankwilla li jgawdu r-residenti, inkluż is-serħan, is-sbuħija naturali u l-indafa, ikomplu jitgawdew fil-lokalità tagħna”. Għalhekk, nisħqu li l-Awtorità tal-Ippajanar ma tistax tinjora l-pożizzjoni tal-Kunsill Lokali, u għandha tagħti widen lill-aktar minn elf ruħ li qegħdin joġġezzjonaw u jitolbu li din l-applikazzjoni tiġi rrifjutata b’mod kategoriku.

Ir-residenti kollha madwar Għawdex huma mxebbgħin bit-tniġġis fl-arja, l-istorbju, l-kaos u l-isfreġju ambjentali li qed iġib miegħu l-iżvilupp eċċessiv f’kull belt u raħal. Intennu li l-awtoritajiet u l-politiċi għandhom jerfgħu r-responsabbiltà tagħhom u jieħdu azzjoni immedjata biex pajjiżna jiġi mħares minn din il-qerda bla rażan, sabiex inkunu nistgħu verament ngħidu li din hija Malta li rridu għal uliedna.