[WATCH] Villa Rosa: Abela says local plan change will align development policies and Grech wants more details

Prime Minister Robert Abela insisted the idea behind the Villa Rosa local plan change is to align planning policies in the area.

“According to the hotels policy, the developer can go ahead and carryout the development in line with the law, but the local plan does not. You have a situation where the hotels policy allows the developer to build as it is a touristic zone,” Abela said on Monday outside parliament.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech on the other hand said it would be “unfair” to give a clear-cut position on the change as he is not privy to details about the amendment to the local plan.

The controversial project has been the source of government as well as Opposition criticism for the past few days, with a number of NGOs, and even the PL's Jason Micallef expressing their disgust toward the project and the proposed local plan changes that will accommodate it.

The proposed changes will facilitate a high-rise development proposed by Garnet Investments, a company owned by Anton Camilleri known as Tal-Franċiż and his son Adelbert Camilleri. 

But the PM insisted that certain sections of the media have portrayed the change as if permits have already been approved for the development, insisting the local plan amendments will be subject to public consultation through the Planning Authority (PA).

“The exercise will amend the discrepancy between the hotels policy and the local plan, and then the permit can either be approved or denied,” Abela said.

He said a request was made by the site owners, Anton Camilleri Tal-Franciz, to have a local plan review for the site.

Local plan change for the wider St Julian’s area

Questioned on why the government did not opt for a wider change to the locality’s local plans, rather than just the Villa Rosa site, Abela said he would be open to the idea.

“But even the Opposition has called for a local plan review of the area, but what does a review mean? Keeping the status quo? More development? Let’s not let some narrative by the Opposition to dictate proceedings,” Abela said.

The proposed development at Villa Rosa in St George's Bay

Roping in the Opposition, he contradicted the Nationalist leader’s claims that Grech was not aware of the details, saying it was briefed on the details about the proposed project.

“The way the Opposition leader has replied to questioning I feel shows his stance on the issue,” he said.

Grech and Abela want residents’ interests safeguarded

Both the PM and the Opposition leader agreed that they want to prioritise residents’ wellbeing, stating any approved permit needs to keep their interests in mind.

“It is not acceptable to side-line small business and residents’ interests. But I am not necessarily speaking about Villa Rosa because I do not know the details,” Grech said.

Questioned on people’s frustration, the PM said he understood it, but insisted it they still need to be given details on the project itself.

“I believe a balance can be struck and once the project will be explained to the public,” he said.

He compared it to the DB Group’s St George’s project.

“I remember the opposition to the project at the time it was announced, and the locality’s mayor, Dean Hili, had come out strongly against it, even leading a campaign. But as the project was being explained to the public and the residents’ concerns were being addressed, they understood it, and the council was there at the launch last week,” he said.

Neither party at the mercy of developers

Both leaders also agreed that their respective parties were not controlled by developers.

Grech said the PN’s stance and opposition to proposed projects shows its credentials on the matter.

“It is an unjust claim and we have to learn to carryout mature discussions and debates. Not everything is black and white. We have spoken out against developers in the past, and it is an unjust claim by someone whose interest is to make the two parties look the same,” he said in a dig at NGO Moviment Graffitti. “I understand the frustration but it does not mean you try and destroy the only party which is an alternative to Labour.”

The NGO berated both Prime Minister Robert Abela and the Opposition for their silence on the project.

Abela on the other hand denied any suggestion that his party is controlled by developers, stating it was a question of whether or not the country wants investment.

“The country must decide whether it wants to attract investment or whether to tell these people who want to invest hundreds of millions to go somewhere else. The project will not sell residential places but will be for touristic purposes,” he said. “I feel it is a matter of  ensuring that developments are countered with proper environmental projects.”

A consensus among Cabinet members

MaltaToday on Sunday reported that Ministers who were granted anonymity to be able to speak freely about confidential matters said they were baffled by the Prime Minister’s enthusiasm for the proposal.

Questioned on Monday on how ministers feel about the changes, Abela slammed this newspaper for “spinning” what was discussed in Cabinet. “It was a free discussion, I did not put a gun against anyone’s head. The cabinet reached a collective position on the local plan change, and now it is up to the planning authority to issue a public consultation.”

“Some questions were raised such as the road infrastructure for the area, whether it will be the developer who forks out the money for the road infrastructure. But all the questions were answered by technical people,” Abela insisted, saying everyone was free to voice their opinion.