Għaxaq council to appeal fireworks factory decision

The Għaxaq local council will be appealing yesterday’s decision to approve a fireworks factory, being proposed by Tarxien’s Saint Gabriel band club on 9000 sq.m of agricultural land.

During yesterday’s planning board meeting, Għaxaq mayor Darren Abela strongly objected to the development due to its impact on farmers and families who live in the vicinity of the proposed factory, workers who pass from their area on their way to work and fireworks enthusiasts who use a neighbouring plot to let off fire works for the Għaxaq feast.

Planning Board chairman Emanuel Camilleri replied that safety issues were already addressed by the Fireworks Factory Complexes Technical Committee which recommended approval and that the PA’s remit is limited to planning policies.  

Contacted by MaltaToday the mayor expressed his disappointment on the way the Planning Authority refused to delve into the safety aspect.  He also pointed out that the Technical Committee is solely concerned with the safety of operations within the fireworks factory itself and has no remit on the safety of neighbouring uses, as long as these conform to the law.

He also pointed out that the law specifies that fireworks factories cannot be built 183 meters away from settlements of more than 100 people, thus offering no safeguards to farmers, inhabitants of small hamlets, or self-employed people who own garages in the area.  He also referred to a dwelling which is located 50 meters away from the development and a nearby flower nursery. 

“Using the same logic, would they approve a new factory on farmland in the vicinity of St Peter’s pool or along roads leading to the hospital simply because it is located 183 meters away from inhabited settlements of more than 100 people?” he asked.

Last week the decision was postponed in an attempt to reach a compromise between the proponents and objectors over the impact of the proposed factory on a nearby site used by two Ghaxaq band clubs for letting off their fireworks.

But according to the mayor discussions were deadlocked because the various authorities dug their heels insisting that the safety of neighbouring operations did not fall under their remit.

And while appreciating that the Saint Gabriel band club was ready to discuss ways to minimise the impact on Ghaxaq enthusiasts, by for example emptying their stores from explosives when fireworks are let off from a a plot of land located 80 meters away, the mayor expressed his disappointment that no such condition was imposed in writing in the planning permit.

“We now depend on the goodwill of the Tarxien band club.  But what will happen if their committee changes and they are no longer disposed to honour this commitment?

Abela also made it clear that the council has nothing against the Tarxien bandclub having its own factory.

“We support fireworks enthusiasts.  What we find objectionable is the location in an area which includes so many other users including our own feast enthusiasts who use the area to let off their fireworks.”

He also referred to the close proximity to the Santu Kristu which can accommodate over 100 people but is located just outside the 183m radius of habitable areas in which new fireworks factories are forbidden.