Updated | PL accuses Toni Bezzina of lying after PN MP withdraws ODZ application

The Labour Party has accused Toni Bezzina of lying to the public after the PN MP withdrew a planning application for the restoration of an old building and the construction of a swimming pool outside development zones in Rabat.

PL newspaper Kullhadd reported today that Bezzina had filed an application with the Planning Authority to build a three-bedroom villa complete with a swimming pool at a site at Triq il-Belt Valletta in Rabat.

The application, submitted by his wife Josette Bezzina last November, proposes the “rehabilitation and restoration of an existing almond grove and World War II living quarters and an observation room”, as well as a “proposed pool and new access”.

According to the Kullhadd report however, Bezzina intends to construct a villa containing a garage, a wine cellar, three bedrooms and a pool, among other amenities.

The site of the proposed development

In addition to being ODZ land, the area is also scheduled as RC01, meaning it is an area of high landscape value. In the rural policy and design guidance document, published by the Labour government in 2014, permission was granted for the “rehabilitation of existing buildings located outside development zones”, provided that a number of conditions are met.

War of words

In a statement issued by the PN on Sunday morning, Bezzina denied his wife had applied to build a villa, but rather to restore “old structures that are in a dilapidated state”.

“Although the application is in line with the law and planning policies, I understand that principles come first in politics, and have therefore decided to withdraw it out of loyalty to the Nationalist Party,” he said. “This is precisely the difference between the PN and the corrupt clique at Castille who are leading the most corrupt government in Malta’s history.”

However, the PL accused Bezzina of lying that his wife, and not himself, was behind the application and that his intention was solely to restore dilapidated buildings.

The development application as can be seen on the Planning Authority's website

“The truth is that he wanted to destroy a patch of ODZ land for personal gain,” the PL said in a statement. “He submitted the application during a period in which he was engaged by Simon Busuttil to help draft the PN’s environment policy document. As usual, the PN says one thing but believes another, and this case betrays Busuttil’s hypocrisy over the environment.

“Toni Bezzina made it clear that he will only withdraw the case because he was caught, and not because he believes he did something wrong.”