U-turn as PA approves controversial Maghtab fuel station plans

The Planning Authority Board yesterday approved the development of a controversial fuel station in Maghtab after having, some weeks ago, indicated that it would reject the application.

The board yesterday voted 9-4 in favour of the project. When the board last met on 7 December, the preliminary vote was six against and just two in favour.

No changes to the proposal were made between the 7 December meeting and the one held yesterday. The only new information was a petition signed by 145 residents who said they were in favour of the development.

PA chairman Vince Cassar, ERA chairman Victor Axiak and NGO representative Annick Bonello were among those opposed the application.

Government and Opposition representatives Clayton Bartolo and Ryan Callus both voted in favour.

While in the December meeting the board indicated that it would oppose the application due to the rural characteristics, the proximity to residents and the take-up of agricultural land, yesterday it deemed that these issues were insufficient and the proposal was in line with the 2015 fuel stations policy.

That policy provides for the relocation of fuel stations from village cores to rural areas.

The application provides for the relocation of an existing fuel station in Mosta with a new Fuel Station in Salina road, located outside the limits for development of Naxxar, which includes: car washing facility, ancillary Class 4B retail facilities and underlying garages as a replacement of two existing dilapidated farmhouses and their ground.

Originally, the Planning Authority had turned down the application back in March 2016. The board’s original refusal noted that the development runs counter to Rural Objective 4 of the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) which aims to protect and enhance the positive qualities of the landscape and the traditional components of the rural landscape.

The applicant filed an appeal and the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal had, last September, declared the Planning Authority’s decision taken on the fuel station as null, ordering the case to be reheard by the Planning Authority Board. The Tribunal had ruled that the Board of the Planning Authority failed to give specific reasons as to why they had refused the development.