Today, residents, Local Councils, and organisations have gathered at St. George’s Bay for a press conference addressing the scandal that has surfaced over the past two weeks. Following a secret meeting between Anton Camilleri “Tal-Franċiż” and the Cabinet, a decision was made to amend the Local Plan to accommodate the developer’s massive plans for Villa Rosa.

First, we denounce the insult to the public’s intelligence from the Prime Minister’s and Government’s claims that this is merely a “consultation phase.” It is clear that no one is naïve enough to believe such a statement.

It is evident that this Local Plan revision has been triggered by instructions from Tal-Franċiż, with the sole aim of enabling the construction of a mammoth project. It is surely no coincidence that the revision process began after the developer’s meeting with the Cabinet, that it covers the exact area of his proposed project, and that its stated objectives align with changing development parameters, so that what is currently prohibited becomes permitted.

It is alarming and a direct threat to our democracy that business interests, operating behind the scenes, dictate the laws and regulations of our country. Discussions of “brands” and “tourists” amid the ongoing overdevelopment, commercialisation of spaces, and unchecked economic activity are hollow attempts to sugarcoat the latest act of blatant greed imposed on the public by developers and enabled by the Government.

However, the recent developments surrounding Villa Rosa have a longer history. Today, we are revealing (see attachment) how the Planning Authority admitted to approving a permit for Tal-Franċiż in Villa Rosa, in breach of the Local Plan. In its submission to the Planning Tribunal (EPRT), the Planning Authority stated, in black and white, that when approving application PA/2478/16, it disregarded key limitations set by the Local Plan by irregularly approving several more storeys and levels, across the different buildings, than permitted by the Local Plan. Moreover, it also approved a hotel in Cresta Quay, where such development is not allowed, among other irregularities.

Therefore, the developer’s claim of already possessing a development permit actually refers to a permit that was issued in violation of current laws. Following this approval, Tal-Franċiż submitted a new application for a much larger project (PA/07254/22), leading to the current revision of the Local Plan.

This clearly demonstrates that the Government and its authorities are consistently bending over backwards – twisting the law, or even changing it entirely, as is happening now – so that developers like Tal-Franċiż can do as they please.

No amount of PR can hide the fact that the proposed Villa Rosa development will be disastrous for the environment and quality of life, as shown by the Environmental Impact Assessment commissioned by the developer himself.

It will envelop the entire area – including thousands of residents, St. George’s Bay, and the Ħarq Ħammiem valley – in dust, noise, traffic, and intense commercial activity. The valley, the bay, and many homes will be cast in near-permanent darkness by the shadows of three towers ranging from 27 to 34 floors. It will also severely threaten the Ħarq Ħammiem cave, a site of unique ecological importance.

Proposing such a harmful development, beyond the allowed parameters, and then changing the laws to accommodate it, is clear evidence of a power grab by developers over our politics and institutions.

We will not accept this affront to democracy and this threat to our quality of life. The people will fight back.

Organisations
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers’ Association Malta
The Archaeological Society Malta
Wirt Għawdex

Local Councils
Swieqi
St. Julian’s

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Villa Rosa: L-Iżviluppaturi Jiddettaw il-Liġijiet, u l-Poplu Jbati l-Konsegwenzi

Illum, ir-residenti, il-Kunsilli Lokali u l-għaqdiet iltaqgħu fil-Bajja ta’ San Ġorġ għal konferenza stampa sabiex jindirizzaw l-iskandlu li ħareġ fil-beraħ dawn l-aħħar ġimagħtejn. Wara laqgħa sigrieta bejn Anton Camilleri “Tal-Franċiż” u l-Kabinett, ittieħdet deċiżjoni biex jiġi emendat il-Pjan Lokali sabiex jakkomodaw il-pjanijiet massiċċi tal-iżviluppatur għal Villa Rosa.

L-ewwel nett, nikkundannaw l-insult għall-intelliġenza tal-poplu wara l-istqarrijiet tal-Prim Ministru u tal-Gvern li din hija sempliċement “fażi ta’ konsultazzjoni”. Huwa ċar li ħadd ma huwa daqshekk fidil biex jemmen dikjarazzjoni bħal din.

Huwa evidenti li din ir-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali ġiet instigata minn istruzzjonijiet li ngħataw minn Tal-Franċiż, bl-għan uniku tar-reviżjoni jkun li jinbena proġett enormi ta’ daqsijiet massiċċi. Ċertament mhijiex koinċidenza li l-proċess ta’ reviżjoni beda wara l-laqgħa li l-iżviluppatur kellu mal-Kabinett, li r-reviżjoni tkopri ż-żona eżatt tal-proġett propost tiegħu, u li l-objettivi ddikjarati tar-reviżjoni jallinjaw mat-tibdil tal-parametri tal-iżvilupp, sabiex dak li huwa attwalment ipprojbit isir permess.

Huwa allarmanti u ta’ theddida diretta għad-demokrazija tagħna li l-interessi tan-negozju, li joperaw wara l-kwinti, jiddettaw il-liġijiet u r-regolamenti ta’ pajjiżna. Il-ħafna paroli dwar “ditti internazzjonali” u “turisti” fil-kuntest tal-iżvilupp bla rażan li għaddej bħalissa, il-kummerċjalizzazzjoni tal-ispazji tagħna, u l-attività ekonomika bla kontroll huma tentattivi patetiċi biex inlibbsu libsa sabiħa lil dan l-aħħar att ta’ regħba sfaċċata u bla qies imposta fuq il-poplu milli-iżviluppaturi u ffaċilitata mill-Gvern.

Madankollu, l-aħħar żviluppi fir-rigward ta’ Villa Rosa imorru aktar lura fiż-żmien. Illum, qed niżvelaw (ara d-dokument mehmuż) kif l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar ammettiet li approvat permess għal Tal-Franċiż f’Villa Rosa, bi ksur tal-Pjan Lokali. Fis-sottomissjoni tagħha lit-Tribunal tal-Ippjanar (EPRT), l-Awtorità għall-Ippjanar iddikjarat, bl-iswed fuq l-abjad, li meta approvat l-applikazzjoni PA/2478/16, hija injorat il-limitazzjonijiet ewlenin stabbiliti mill-Pjan Lokali billi approvat b’mod irregolari ħafna aktar sulari u livelli fil-binjiet differenti minn kemm huwa fil-verità permess mill-Pjan Lokali. Barra minn hekk, approvat ukoll lukanda fi Cresta Quay, fejn tali żvilupp mhuwiex permess, fost irregolaritajiet oħra.

Għalhekk, id-dikjarazzjoni tal-iżviluppatur li diġà għandu permess ta’ żvilupp fil-fatt tirreferi għal permess li nħareġ bi ksur tal-liġijiet attwali. Wara din l-approvazzjoni, Tal-Franċiż issottometta applikazzjoni ġdida għal proġett ferm akbar (PA/07254/22), li wasslet għar-reviżjoni attwali tal-Pjan Lokali.

Dan juri biċ-ċar li l-Gvern u l-awtoritajiet tiegħu qed jagħmlu kull forma ta’ manuvra biex jaqdu lill-iżviluppaturi — jgħawġu l-liġi, jew saħansitra jbiddluha kompletament, kif qed jiġri issa — sabiex żviluppaturi bħal Tal-Franċiż ikunu jistgħu jagħmlu li jridu.

L-ebda ammont ta’ PR ma jista’ jaħbi l-fatt li l-iżvilupp propost ta’ Villa Rosa se jkun diżastruż għall-ambjent u l-kwalità tal-ħajja, kif muri mill-Valutazzjoni tal-Impatt Ambjentali kkummissjonata mill-iżviluppatur innifsu.

Se jifga liż-żona kollha — inklużi lil eluf ta’ residenti, il-Bajja ta’ San Ġorġ u Wied Ħarq Ħammiem — bit-trab, storbju, traffiku u attività kummerċjali intensa. Il-wied, il-bajja u ħafna djar se jintradmu fi dlam kważi permanenti mid-dellijiet ta’ tliet torrijiet li jvarjaw minn 27 sa 34 sular. L-iżvilupp se jkun ta’ theddida kbira wkoll għal Għar Ħarq Ħammiem, sit ta’ importanza ekoloġika unika.

Li ssir proposta għal żvilupp ta’ ħsara kbira bħal dan, li jmur lil hinn mill-parametri permessi, u li mbagħad jinbidlu l-liġijiet biex jiġi akkomodat l-iżvilupp, hija evidenza ċara ta’ kolp ta’ stat mill-iżviluppaturi fuq il-politika u l-istituzzjonijiet tagħna.

Aħna mhux se naċċettaw din l-offiża għad-demokrazija u din it-theddida għall-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna. Il-poplu se jiġġieled lura.

Għaqdiet
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers’ Association Malta
The Archaeological Society Malta
Wirt Għawdex

Kunsilli Lokali
Swieqi
San Ġiljan