The Planning Authority (PA) has been flooded with objections to the sham consultation process for the revision of the Villa Rosa Local Plan. Over 2,500 individuals have objected by using this online form, while many others have sent their objection to the PA through other means.
People can still submit their input to the consultation process by today, 25th November.
It is clear that the Government has initiated the review of the Villa Rosa Local Plan on instruction by developer Tal-Franċiż. The revision process began after the developer’s meeting with the Cabinet, covers the exact area of the Tal-Franċiż proposed development application filed two years ago, and its stated objectives align with changing development parameters, so that what is currently prohibited becomes permitted.
In their objection, the people noted the singular lack of transparency surrounding this Local Plan review and its real purpose, since a specific policy for Villa Rosa already exists. They also stated that high-rise hotels should not be given any preferential treatment if their siting impinges upon residential amenity or scenic or environmentally sensitive sites. They also noted how there are no published studies or reports indicating that there is a dearth of tourists in Malta, or that high-rise buildings are the only hotels which can accommodate so-called high-quality tourists.
The objection states that it is evident that the sole aim of the consultation process is that of enabling the construction of a mammoth project presented in application PA/07254/22. This proposed development would envelop the entire area – including thousands of residents, St. George’s Bay, and the Ħarq Ħammiem valley – in dust, noise, traffic, and intense commercial activity. The valley, the bay, and many homes will be cast in near-permanent darkness by the shadows of three towers ranging from 27 to 34 floors. It will also severely threaten the Ħarq Ħammiem cave, a site of unique ecological importance.
In light of these grave concerns, the objectors called on the PA to immediately halt this abusive process, which is driven by private interests rather than the common good.
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L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar tirċievi valanga t’oġġezzjonijiet għar-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali ta’ Villa Rosa
L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar (PA) kellha tilqa’ valanga t’oġġezzjonijiet għal dak li taparsi hu proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni għar-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali ta’ Villa Rosa. Aktar minn 2,500 individwu oġġezzjonaw billi użaw din il-formola online, filwaqt li ħafna oħrajn bagħtu l-oġġezzjoni tagħhom lill-PA b’mezzi oħra.
Il-pubbliku għadu jista’ jissottometti l-kontribut tiegħu għall-proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni sal-lum, 25 ta’ Novembru.
Jidher ċar li l-Gvern beda r-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali ta’ Villa Rosa fuq struzzjonijiet mogħtija mill-iżviluppatur Tal-Franċiż. Il-proċess ta’ reviżjoni beda wara l-laqgħa li l-iżviluppatur kellu mal-Kabinett, ikopri l-istess spazju preċiż li hu mniżżel fl-applikazzjoni għal żvilupp propost li ġiet ippreżentata minn Tal-Franċiż sentejn ilu, u l-għanijiet iddikjarati tiegħu jaqblu mal-parametri ta’ żvilupp li qegħdin jinbidlu sabiex dak li bħalissa huwa projbit isir permess.
Fl-oġġezzjoni tagħhom, in-nies innutaw in-nuqqas singolari ta’ trasparenza fejn jidħlu din ir-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali u l-iskop veru tagħha, peress li diġà teżisti politika speċifika għal Villa Rosa. Dawk li oġġezzjonaw ddikjaraw wkoll li lukandi għoljin m’għandhom jingħataw l-ebda trattament speċjali jekk is-sit tagħhom jolqot bini residenzjali jew siti ta’ xeni jew ambjent sensittivi. Innutaw ukoll kif m’hemmx studji jew rapporti ppubblikati li jindikaw xi nuqqas ta’ turisti f’Malta, jew li l-binjiet għolja huma l-uniċi lukandi li jistgħu jakkomodaw l-hekk imsejħa turisti ta’ kwalità għolja.
L-oġġezzjoni tgħid li huwa evidenti li l-uniku għan tal-proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni huwa li jippermetti l-bini ta’ proġett enormi ppreżentat fl-applikazzjoni PA/07254/22. Dan l-iżvilupp propost ser jikkawża trab, storbju, traffiku, u attività kummerċjali intensa fiż-żona kollha – li tinkludi eluf ta’ residenti, il-Bajja ta’ San Ġorġ, u l-wied ta’ Ħarq Ħammiem. Il-wied, il-bajja, u ħafna djar se jispiċċaw fi dlam kważi permanenti minħabba d-dellijiet ta’ tliet torrijiet li jvarjaw bejn is-27 u l-34 sular fl-għoli. Il-proġett se jkun ta’ theddida kbira għall-għar ta’ Ħarq Ħammiem, sit ta’ importanza ekoloġika unika.
Fid-dawl ta’ dan it-tħassib serju, min oġġezzjona talab lill-PA biex twaqqaf minnufih dan il-proċess abbużiv, li huwa mmexxi mill-interessi privati u mhux mill-ġid komuni.
