Moviment Graffitti is calling for the immediate demolition of the sham sheep farm in Wied tal-Ħżejjen, Bidnija, a valley as yet unspoilt by construction, and for the site to be returned to its natural state at the developer’s expense.

Since the original planning application (PA/07946/18) was accepted in 2019, environmental organisations, the media and the general public have been chronicling the construction of this massive structure in the middle of an entirely rural Outside Development Zone (ODZ), featuring ecologically important fresh water habitats. Many were left baffled at how a two-storey structure, with reception areas and a swimming pool on its roof, was approved by the Planning Authority on the pretext of being a sheep farm.

Only three years after the issuing of the first permit, the thin disguise of a sheep farm has fallen off entirely. A second planning application (PA/5895/22) is now asking for this structure to be transformed into a retail outlet with guest rooms – that is, a hotel – thus putting black on white what we have known all along: this is a multi-million commercial project that illicitly took over and destroyed ODZ land.

The sheep farmer on whom the granting of the original permit was dependent is nowhere to be seen in the new application. The latest application was filed by a previously unknown company – Bidnija Farming Enterprise Ltd. – connected to a certain Dr. Peter Bernard Carbonaro, a person whose name appears as director for three other companies registered in Malta which are all linked to trustee shareholding companies registered in Cyprus. The shareholder of the company and the application’s architect is Mr Konrad Bezzina. Mr Bezzina is involved in several other companies unrelated to agriculture and also served as a former member of the Building and Construction Agency’s building regulations board.

Moviment Graffitti has now filed an enforcement request with the Planning Authority demanding that the fake sheep farm be demolished and the site reverted back to its original state, at the developer’s expense, as per permit conditions.

Using deceit and lies to destroy an ecologically sensitive area for profit is an environmental crime of the highest degree. All those responsible for issuing the first permit – from the developers to the authorities and boards – should be investigated with a view to bring them to justice for the crimes committed. It has been clear to everyone from the start that this was not a genuine sheep farm; it is impossible that those who evaluated this application did not recognise this obvious fact too. The Planning Commission that issued this permit was chaired by Perit Elizabeth Ellul, with Perit Claude Mallia and Mr Anthony Borg as members.

The sham sheep farm blighting the Bidnija valley is epitomic of the rotten planning regime in force in Malta. From dysfunctional policies to farcical authorities, the current planning system has actively sponsored the wanton destruction of our natural and urban environments. Urgent decisive action overhauling the entirety of our planning system is needed to prevent the loss of what we have left.

Il-Moviment Graffitti jitlob li tiġġarraf immedjatament l-istruttura, taparsi razzett tan-nagħaġ, fil-Wied tal-Ħżejjen fil-Bidnija, wied li sa issa kien għadu ma ntlaqatx mill-kostruzzjoni. L-iżviluppatur konċernat għandu jġorr l-ispejjeż tax-xogħol biex is-sit jitreġġa’ lura għall-istat naturali tiegħu.

Mindu ġiet approvata l-ewwel applikazzjoni tal-ippjanar (PA/07946/18) fuq dan is-sit, fl-2019, bosta organizzazzjonijiet ambjentali, mezzi tax-xandir u l-pubbliku, ġibdu attenzjoni għall-fatt li bdiet tinbena struttura massiva f’nofs żona kompletament rurali u ODŻ li tiġbor fiha wkoll ħabitats tal-ilma ħelu ta’ valur ekoloġiku kbir. L-istruttura, li tikkonsisti f’żewġ sulari, f’partijiet miftuħa fejn jistgħu jintlaqgħu n-nies u pixxina fuq il-bejt, ġiet approvata mill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar bl-iskuża li hija razzett tan-nagħaġ.

Issa li għaddew tliet snin mill-ħruġ tal-ewwel permess, il-gidba tar-razzett tan-nagħaġ ħarġet bla skrupli fid-deher. Tant hu hekk li issa ntefgħet it-tieni applikazzjoni (PA/5895/22) għal żvilupp fuq is-sit. Din l-applikazzjoni qegħda titlob li l-istruttura tinbidel f’binja bil-kmamar li jistgħu jilqgħu n-nies, jiġifieri lukanda. B’hekk ħareġ fil-beraħ dak kollu li ilna nafuh, li dan huwa proġett kummerċjali li jinvolvi l-miljuni u huwa maħsub biex jieħu l-kontroll assolut ta’ biċċa art rurali mastizza u ODŻ għall-qerda tagħha f’isem il-profitti. 

L-ewwel applikazzjoni kienet affiljata ma’ bidwi li fuqu kien qiegħed iserraħ il-permess. Dan l-isem ma jissemma’ mkien fl-applikazzjoni riċenti li tressqet minn kumpanija, il-Bidnija Farming Enterprise Ltd., li issa deher isimha għall-ewwel darba fil-proċess. Il-kumpanija affiljata ma’ ċertu Dr Peter Bernard Carbonaro. Carbonaro jidher ismu wkoll bħala d-direttur ta’ tliet kumpaniji oħra reġistrati f’Malta iżda marbuta ma’ kumpaniji b’ishma reġistrati Ċipru. Is-Sur Konrad Bezzina huwa l-perit tal-applikazzjoni u shareholder fil-kumpanija. Bezzina għandu sehem f’bosta kumpaniji oħra li mhumiex relatati mal-agrikoltura u kien membru fil-bord regulatorju tal-Aġenzija tal-Bini u l-Kostruzzjoni.

Il-Moviment Graffitti ressaq talba għall-infurzar quddiem l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar fejn jitlob li jiġġarraf ir-razett tan-nagħaġ finta u li b’konformità mal-kundizzjonijiet tal-permess, l-iżviluppatur konċernat iġorr l-ispejjeż tax-xogħol biex is-sit jitreġġa’ lura għall-istat naturali tiegħu.

L-użu tal-qerq u l-gideb sabiex jinħareġ permess biex tinqered għall-profitt żona ekoloġikament sensittiva huwa reat ambjentali tal-ogħla grad. Dawk kollha li huma responsabbli mill-ħruġ tal-ewwel permess, minn żviluppaturi sa awtoritajiet u bordijiet għandhom jiġu investigati bil-għan li ssir ġustizzja għar-reati li wettqu. Kulħadd kien jaf li dan mhuwiex razzett tan-nagħaġ. Impossibbli li dawk li evalwaw din l-applikazzjoni m’għarfux dal-fatt ovvju wkoll. Il-Perit Elizabeth Ellul mexxiet il-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar li ħarġet dan il-permess, u l-membri l-oħra tal-Kummissjoni kienu l-Perit Claude Mallia u s-Sur Anthony Borg.

Il-gidba tar-razzett tan-nagħaġ li ħarbat wied fil-Bidnija hija simbolu tar-reġim maħmuġ tal-ippjanar li ħa l-kontroll ta’ Malta. Is-sistema attwali tal-ippjanar, bil-politiki falluti tagħha u l-farsa ta’ awtoritajiet li ħakmuha, hija s-sors ewlieni tal-qerda tal-ambjent naturali u urban tagħna. Meħtieġa tindifa radikali tas-sistema sħiħa tal-ippjanar tal-pajjiż għax ser nitilfu anke li fadal.