Fish-packaging factory approved in Selmun

The Mellieha local council led by Nationalist mayor Robert Cutajar has written to MEPA chairman Austin Walker asking him to commence procedures to revoke a permit issued in February 2010, for the development of a fish-packaging factory a few metres from the Selmun Palace Hotel in the vicinity of a Natura 2000 site.

The government is still looking for an investor to buy the hotel, which previously belonged to Air Malta.

The developers of the factory previously used the historical Pinto battery in Mistra for this purpose, and have now commenced construction works in Selmun on a site previously used as a broiler farm.

“How can the proposed development consolidate the rural character of the area, when an industrial development, which is not even related in anyway to agriculture has been approved a couple of metres away from residences, not to mention the Selmun Palace Hotel, whose residents come over to stay in such a hotel literally to be in the middle of a rural area, which now shall be spoiled through such a development?” the local council asked in its letter to Walker.

The new development contradicts the Mellieha council’s attempts through EU funding to encourage tourism activities and conserve and upgrade the rural heritage of various areas around Selmun. “If the approved development is not halted, these efforts would have been in vain and EU funding would have been poured down the drain at the expense of the common citizen.”

The site where the development has been approved lies within a Category 2 large rural settlement. MEPA policies aim at conserving the rural character of these areas. According to the council the development will generate traffic in to the area and does not blend with the rural environment.

In its letter the Mellieha council urged the Environment and Planning Commission (EPC) or “whoever has the necessary authority” to consider the dismissal of such an application. The 2,680 square metre was previously used as a broiler farm. The development involves the construction of a one-storey structure which also includes a storage area at basement level. The developers were obliged to restore the Mistra Bay fort.

In 2007 the developers were granted an outline permit for the relocation of the existing land based fish farm from a historical fort in Mistra Bay to Selmun, aiming to replace a broiler farm.

The 18th century Pinto battery built by Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca was left in shambles after being used as a store by a fish farming company for the past years. The Mistra battery is already scheduled as a Grade 1 historical building. Nobody is allowed to make external or interior alterations which will change the character of such buildings. Yet despite this high level of protection, the fort was still used as a store for the fish farm.

The site was subject to an enforcement order, dating back to 2002, against the change of use of the redoubt and against other illegal structures in the area.

The enforcement order was issued in view of the fact that the commercial activity had encroached within the protected building. The fish farm is operated by Pisciculture Marine de Malte Limited, which is partly owned by DIPSI S.R.L, based in Italy, and PMM Finance SA which is registered in Luxembourg. The only Maltese shareholder is Robert Aquilina who presented the application. The local council has also written to the commissioner of lands asking for his intervention to avoid the destruction of the rural character of the area protesting at the fact that the council was never consulted on the development of the fish packaging factory in Selmun.