Maghtab petrol station permit revoked

The Environment and Planning review tribunal (EPRT) has revoked a permit for a massive ODZ petrol station in Maghtab, upholding an appeal presented by residents who were assisted by architect Carmel Cacopardo and lawyer Tanya Sciberras Camilleri.

The application will now have to be re-evaluated by the Planning Board.

The permit was originally refused by the Planning Authority board in 2016 as it was deemed to be in breach of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED)

The refusal was later overturned by the same EPRT.

On that occasion the Tribunal had argued that PA had not explained why SPED policies protecting the rural environment, should take precedence over the 2015 fuel stations policy, which allows petrol stations to be relocated to rural areas outside development zones.

When the permit was brought back to the board in December 2017 board members first indicated that they would be refusing it, only to then vote in its favour in January 2018.

Government and Opposition representatives Clayton Bartolo and Ryan Callus both voted in favour of the project, as did PA deputy chairman Elizabeth Ellul. PA chairman Vince Cassar, ERA chairman Victor Axiak and NGO representative Annick Bonello were among those opposed.

This time round the permit was revoked by the tribunal for procedural reasons brought up in the appeal, namely that the PA's failure to upload documents before the decision was taken.

The application, by Paul Abela, of Abel Energy, is to demolish two derelict farmhouses and build a fuel station with an electric car charging station, car wash, shop, car mechanic workshop, stores and a parking lot that would take 17 vehicles.

The proposed site is a 3,593 sq.m, triangular-shaped piece of land in Triq is-Salina and Trejqet l-Arznu, Naxxar, near the T'Alla w Ommu hill.

The site is the lowest point of the valley immediately after Triq t'Alla w Ommu.

The area is designated by the local plan as a rural category settlement whose rural character has to be preserved.

Objectors argued that this local plan policy over-ruled the recent policy allowing the re-location of petrol stations to ODZ areas.