Maghtab fuel station application deferred due to ‘false accusation’

The MEPA Board has deferred a planning application decision related to a proposed fuel service station in Maghtab after Perit Carmelo Caccopardo publically accused the Planning Directorate of deliberately and intentionally excluding, any references to a planning policy to favour the proposed development, in a report it compiled.

In a statement issued earlier today, MEPA said that the planning directorate had in fact presented an exhaustive exposition of the related policy during the public meeting.

According to the statement Chairman Vincent Cassar, called on Perit Carmelo Caccopardo, who was representing a number of objectors, to withdraw the allegation or leave the public meeting, but Caccopardo refused to withdraw the allegation and insisted on remaining within the public meeting at all costs. Cassar subsequently gave Caccopardo a final chance to comply with the request, otherwise he himself would walk out of the public meeting.

MEPA said that Caccopardo’s refusal to comply ultimately led to the Chairman walking out of the meeting., prompting the board to defer the case.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Board approved planning permission for the implementation of a landscaping scheme on top of a constructed soil embankment, in an attempt to improve the adverse visual impact created by the existing South Sewage Treatment Plant at Ta’ Barkat, limits of Xghajra.

“The landscaping works which will be carried out over a footprint of 6775m2 will include the construction of terraced parcels forming an embankment which will be divided by rubble walls.,” the statement reads.

MEPA said that over 190 trees will be planted which include Znuber, Balluta, Harruba, Randa, Sigra ta’ l-Gharghar, Zebbug, and is-sigra ta’ Guda, as part of the scheme.