Front Harsien ODZ objects to proposed Burmarrad petrol station

Objecting to a proposed petrol station in Burmarrad opposite the former farmers wine winery, Front Harsien ODZ said “it makes no sense to sacrifice 2,900 square meters of agricultural land to allow the development of yet another petrol station.”

The Front agreed with the Environment Protection Directorate which has already objected to the proposed development, insisting that even an EIA would not do away with the fact that any development on this site was “objectionable from environmental and land use planning points of view”.

Moreover we note the proposed development will consist of an entirely new ODZ petrol station and not the re-location of an existing one from a residential area.

"We also note that the justification given in the EIA, namely that there is a shortage of petrol stations is in itself contradicted by the EIA findings which refers to a petrol station found about 670m to the south along the same street and two fuel stations found opposite each other around 500m north of the proposed site on Mosta Road.

The Front is also calling for the reinstatement of soil removed from the site of a proposed petrol station in Burmarrad. The EIA Consultant declared that the topsoil was removed with all necessary approvals because the archaeological survey required this to be done.

The terms of reference state that the soil should remain stored on site “for possible reinstatement once the investigation is deemed completed by the Superintendence”.

The Front notes that the developer has scraped off all the soil and removed a whole layer of the underlying rock as can be determined by the chalk white rock surface which now characterises the entire site.

“Therefore we expect that the soil is immediately reinstated in the same field. It does not make sense to wait for the permit to be turned down or approved before the scar is removed.”