PA approves ODZ 'gated community' in Magħtab

The Planning Authority has approved 13 two-storey villas on the site of an abandoned farm in an ODZ site Maghtab in the vicinity of the old Santa Marija chapel on a site located to the east of Burmarrad and west of Baħar ic-Caghaq.

The development proposed by Keith Attard Portughes was approved by eight votes against two, despite objections by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and the Naxxar local council.

Although the area is in an outside development zone, the development is being justified based on an amendment made to the local plan in 2017 that defined the area as an ODZ settlement. The development over 7,770sq.m is being proposed.

The architect of the project insisted that the project is aimed at enhancing the rural environment in its design approach, building material and its landscaping is meant to decrease the visual impact on surroundings. He also pointed out that only 19% of the site will be built up.

The layout of the approved 13 ODZ villas as approved by the PA board

ERA had objected to the proposal, warning that the proposed works would lead to intensification of development in the area, further take-up of undeveloped land and a sprawl of urban uses within an ODZ area.

ERA had also warned that approval of this development may cause pressure to approve similar interventions elsewhere within the rural area.

During the meeting Board chairman Emmanuel Camilleri noted that the development is in line with policy.

Naxxar mayor Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adami strongly objected noting that according to policy the site is the development should not have been even considered as the area is not designated for residential development, a claim which was rebutted by the case officer.

The Naxxar mayor also quoted the local plan policy which refers to the development of single units in the rural hamlet and not to new gated communities. 

She also argued that the development will result in an intensification of residential development in an ODZ area, creating a gated community which would encourage other developments, pushing out young farmers from the area and encouraging them to sell their establishments to speculators.  She also warned that the development will result in urban sprawl.

ERA board member Aimee Brincat warned of conflicting land uses between industrial and residential use and her concern that an agricultural farm was being turned in to villas.

The Planning Directorate rebutted insisting the council should have raised its concerns during the processing of the application. Moreover, the case officer insisted the 13 villas will have a built-up footprint of 2,028sq.m while swimming pools will occupy a further 920sq.m.

A new road will take up a further 1,227sq.m while the remaining 3,525sq.m will be landscaped. All the villas are being proposed on separate plots of around 500sq.m each.

The Central Malta Local Plan approved in 2006 had referred to the emergence of a residential rural cluster which was to be zoned as a ‘Category 2 ODZ Rural Settlement’.

However, the extents of this settlement had not been defined within the Local Plan. The boundaries of the rural hamlet were subsequently defined in a partial review of the local plan approved in 2016.

The local plan limits development in such rural settlements to a footprint of 150sq.m and a floor space of 200sq.m and specifies that any development must respect the character of the settlement and its surrounding rural environment.