Appeal filed against approval of ODZ pool in Marsalforn Valley

Five organisations and the Xagħra Local Council have submitted an appeal with the Planning Tribunal (EPRT) against the Planning Commission’s decision to approve another Joseph Portelli pool in Marsalforn Valley. The appeal was made possible thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign that collected, in just a few days, the necessary funds to institute legal actions against this scandalous development permit.

In a shameful spectacle of servility to big business, the Planning Commission Chairperson, Martin Camilleri, bent over backwards to please Portelli, green-lighting the application notwithstanding the case officer’s recommendation for refusal.

In addition to being in ODZ, Portelli’s proposed swimming pool is also, literally, inside a valley, and forms part of the massive apartment block project at the edge of the same valley. The approval of a swimming pool in a valley sets a dangerous precedent for subsequent approvals of similar projects, opening the flood gates to the destruction of our valleys and facilitating the continued rapid destruction of Gozo.  

Martin Camilleri’s approval was in clear breach of several laws and planning policies. The organisations’ appeal outlines the numerous regulations that categorically prohibit the approved ODZ development, such as: the Gozo Local Plan provision which disallows development on the ridge edge; the site being within the 50 meter buffer zone from an Urban Conservation Area (UCA); and the formalization and parcelling of ODZ land, among others. Moreover, the Planning Commission asserted that the site was already committed, when it was not, and also conducted itself in an irregular manner throughout the proceedings when it failed to indicate its intention to approve or refuse the application during the first hearing, instead instructing the developer to carry out insignificant changes which were then used as a pretext for approval.

As can be seen from the repeated success of crowdfunding campaigns, the people of Malta and Gozo are outraged at the destruction of our urban and natural environment for the benefit of the wealthy few. Another crowdfunding campaign earlier this year led to an appeal being filed by Moviment Graffitti against the third application connected to Portelli’s monstrous development in Sannat.

In the face of this assault on our environment and quality of life, we are determined to continue fighting against the defacing of Gozo and Malta at the hands of developers like Joseph Portelli and rotten entities like the Planning Authority.

Organisations filing the appeal

Moviment Graffitti
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Għawdix
Wirt Għawdex
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA)
Xagħra Local Council

Front magħqud kontra s-servilità tal-PA fil-konfront ta’ Portelli
Jitressaq appell kontra l-approvazzjoni ta’ pixxina ODZ fil-Wied ta’ Marsalforn

Ħames għaqdiet u l-Kunsill Lokali tax-Xagħra ressqu appell mat-Tribunal tal-Ippjanar (EPRT) kontra d-deċiżjoni tal-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar li tapprova pixxina oħra ta’ Joseph Portelli fil-Wied ta’ Marsalforn. L-appell qiegħed isir bil-fondi li nġabru fi ftit jiem minn kampanja ta’ crowdfunding sabiex ikunu jistgħu jittieħdu passi legali kontra dan il-permess ta’ żvilupp skandaluż.

Fi spettaklu tal-mistħija intiż li jaġevola bis-sħiħ lin-negozjanti l-kbar, il-Kap tal-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar, Martin Camilleri għamel minn kollox sabiex jintogħġob ma’ Portelli u ħareġ il-permess minkejja r-rakkomandazzjoni għar-rifjut tal-uffiċjal responsabbli mill-każ. Minbarra li tinsab f’ODZ, il-pixxina ta’ Portelli ser titħaffer f’wied u hija parti minn proġett massiv ta’ blokok ta’ appartamenti fit-tarf tal-istess wied. L-approvazzjoni ta’ pixxina f’wied toħloq preċedent perikoluż sabiex ikompli jiġu approvati applikazzjonijiet għal proġetti simili, u b’hekk fetħet bibien is-sema għall-qerda tal-widien tagħna u l-qerda mgħaġġla ta’ Għawdex.

L-approvazzjoni ta’ Martin Camilleri tikser bosta liġijiet u politiki tal-ippjanar. L-appell tal-organizzazzjonijiet jelenka l-bosta regolamenti li jipprojbixxu kategorikament dan l-iżvilupp approvat fuq ODZ, bħal fost oħrajn: il-Pjan Lokali ta’ Għawdex ma jippermettix żvilupp f’xifer il-widien; is-sit jinsab fil-limitu ta’ 50 metru minn Żona ta’ Konservazzjoni Urbana; mhux  permess tibdil fl-istat natural ta’ ODZ u li art ODZ tinqasam f’biċċiet li jeqirdu l-pajsaġġ olistiku tagħha. Barra minn hekk, il-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar sostniet li s-sit kien kommess għall-iżvilupp, meta fil-fatt ma kienx, u wkoll aġixxiet b’mod mill-iktar irregolari tul il-proċess b’mod partikolari meta naqset milli tindika fl-ewwel seduta d-direzzjoni li ser tieħu, u minflok talbet l-iżviluppatur iwettaq tibdil insinifikanti, li mbagħad użatu sabiex tiġġustifika l-approvazzjoni.

Is-suċċess ta’ kampanji ta’ ġbir tal-flus bħal dawn juru r-rabja tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin fil-konfront tal-qerda tal-ambjent urban u natural għall-benefiċċju ta’ ftit sinjuri. Kmieni dis-sena il-Moviment Graffitti appella t-tielet applikazzjoni marbuta mal-iżvilupp mostruż ta’ Portelli fis-Sannat. Dan l-appell ukoll kien finanzjat minn kampanja ta’ ġbir tal-flus bħal din.

Quddiem dan l-assalt fuq l-ambjent u l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna, aħna determinati li nkomplu niġġieldu l-qerda ta’ Għawdex u ta’ Malta minn żviluppaturi bħal Joseph Portelli u entitajiet imħassra bħall-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar.

Organizzazzjonijiet li qegħdin iressqu dan l-appell

Moviment Graffitti
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Għawdix
Wirt Għawdex
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA)
Kunsill Lokali Xagħra