Rabbit farm given permit 12 days after Gonzi visit

A Maghtab rabbit farm, visited by ex-Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in the third week of the electoral campaign, was still awaiting a permit to sanction illegal works on the same site.  

The farm is located 20 metres from a 17th century historical chapel dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

The permit for the sanctioning of parts of this farm and its extension was issued 12 days after former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited the farm during the electoral campaign.

During the visit to the Eurostar rabbit farm in Maghtab on 25 January, Gonzi referred to the allocation of €150,000 in EU funds to the owner of this farm.

The application on this pending planning application was first discussed by MEPA's Environment Planning Commission on 9 January.  n this meeting the board expressed concerns regarding the visual impact of new and additional structures being proposed at roof level and side blank wall in very close proximity to the historical chapel.

The board also referred to allegations by objectors that farm was already in operation, calling on enforcement officers to inspect and confirm whether this was the case.

It also transpires that on 21 January MEPA received a letter from the Superintendent for Cultural Heritage asking to be "consulted on such applications."

On 5 February the Superintendence wrote a strongly worded letter to MEPA referring to the fact that "the site is already partly built. "Some of the existing structures are illegal and are being proposed for sanctioning."

It also referred to proposed "rock-cut basements" proposed in the new application. The application was deemed to have a considerable impact on the chapel. "The volume and height of the proposed structure will dwarf the historic chapel."

The SCH also referred to the increase in traffic in the area.

If the application is to be further considered the SHC called for change in plans to ensure that the new building does not dwarf the church and that the façade of the new building is receded as far as possible away from the monument.  It also called on MEPA to ensure that any rock cutting was to be carried out in a way, which did not affect the chapel.

In view of the high architectural value of the chapel the SCH also called on MEPA to schedule the chapel to ensure its protection against inappropriate development.

The application was unanimously approved a day after MEPA received the SCH's letter.  

In its decision the board gave the applicant five more days to submit fresh drawings specifying that the boundary wall facing chapel was to be a 1.2m "random rubble wall".

It also called on the owner to submit a construction method statement ensuring that no damage is carried out to the chapel during excavation, rock cutting and construction works.

This was to be accompanied by the submission of a bank guarantee of €3,500.