Seven organisations filed a judicial protest (see here) against the Planning Authority (PA) for holding a vitiated and irregular consultation procedure with regards to the Development Brief for the site of the former Jerma Palace Hotel in Marsascala.

Last year, the PA held a consultation exercise for the drawing up of a Development Brief for the site of the former Jerma Palace Hotel. The Local Plan defines the area which should be subject to the Development Brief, and the area is also defined in three maps. However – for reasons of its own – the PA chose to include further areas in the Development Brief exercise. The PA included a green area which should be accessible to the public and where no increase in height or volume is permitted. The PA also included a heritage site within the boundaries of the Development Brief area when there is already a policy applicable to the site. Moreover, the PA arbitrarily laid down an area of 100,000 square metres which should be developed within the site.

In practice, this irregular Development Brief would lead to a massive development project that would impact negatively the infrastructure of Marsascala and the lives of residents, with no long-term benefit to the locality.

The organisations stated that this was not in line with applicable laws and policies and called upon the authority to withdraw the flawed Development Brief exercise.

The organisations that filed the judicial protest are:

1. Din l-Art Ħelwa
2. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
3. Green House
4. Moviment Graffitti
5. Nature Trust Malta
6. Ramblers Association of Malta
7. The Archaeological Society of Malta

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Id-Development Brief tal-Jerma – Għaqdiet iressqu azzjoni ġudizzjarja kontra l-eżerċizzju ta’ konsultazzjoni qarrieqi u irregolari

Seba’ għaqdiet ippreżentaw protest ġudizzjarju (ara hawnhekk) kontra l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar (PA) talli implimentat proċedura ta’ konsultazzjoni mtappna bl-irregolaritajiet, liema irregolaritajiet ħassru l-validità legali tal-proċess inkwistjoni fir-rigward tad-Development Brief għas-sit li qabel kien okkupat mill-Jerma Palace Hotel f’Marsaskala.

Is-sena l-oħra, il-PA għamlet eżerċizzju ta’ konsultazzjoni sabiex jiġi mħejji Development Brief għas-sit li qabel kien jospita l-Jerma Palace Hotel. Il-Pjan Lokali jispeċifika u jimmarka l-limiti taż-żona li għandha tkun soġġetta għad-Development Brief, u ż-żona hija wkoll iddemarkata fi tliet mapep. Madankollu — għal raġunijiet li taf hi biss — fl-eżerċizzju tad-Development Brief, l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar iddeċidiet li tinkludi aktar żoni minn dawk delineati fil-Pjan Lokali. Il-PA żiedet żona ekoloġika li għandha tkun aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku u fejn mhija permessa l-ebda żieda fl-għoli jew fil-volum tal-bini. L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar inkludiet ukoll sit ta’ patrimonju storiku fil-limiti taż-żona li taqa’ taħt id-Development Brief. Dan meta diġà hemm policy eżistenti li tapplika għal dan is-sit. Barra minn hekk, il-PA b’mod arbitrarju għall-aħħar speċifikat żona ta’ 100,000 metru kwadru li għandha tiġi żviluppata fi ħdan is-sit.

Fil-prattika, dan id-Development Brief irregolari jwassal għal proġett ta’ żvilupp massiv li jħalli impatt negattiv fuq l-infrastruttura ta’ Marsaskala u l-ħajja tar-residenti, mingħajr ebda benefiċċju fit-tul għal-lokalità.

L-għaqdiet saħqu li dan mhuwiex konformi mal-liġijiet u l-policies applikabbli u talbu lill-awtorità biex tiritra l-eżerċizzju difettuż tad-Development Brief.

L-għaqdiet li ppreżentaw il-protest ġudizzjarju huma:

1. Din l-Art Ħelwa
2. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
3. Green House
4. Moviment Graffitti
5. Nature Trust Malta
6. Ramblers Association of Malta
7. The Archaeological Society of Malta