Magħtab resident files appeal over controversial fuel station

A Magħtab resident, with the backing of the resident’s association, has filed an appeal against a recently-approved fuel station application, on which planning related entities have been going back and forth for years.

The original application was for full development permission 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: a car washing facility, ancillary Class 4B retail facilities and underlying garages as a replacement of two existing dilapidated farmhouses and their ground.

The application was originally filed back in 2014, but had been turned down by the Planning Authority. The site owner then filed an appeal before the Environment Planning and Review Tribunal, who ordered that the application go back before the Planning Authority Board. On 7 December, the Planning Board had taken a preliminary vote on the application which saw six members vote against and just two in favour.

Despite the preliminary vote which showed that members were going to vote against however, on 11 January the final vote saw the application pass, with a number of residents speaking with this newsroom expressing surprise, and noted that some board members not present on 7 December were present on the 11 January vote.

Now a resident has lodged an appeal against this latest decision, with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal. The appellant is calling for the PA Board’s latest decision to be declared null.

The resident, in his appeal, argues that the procedure in the meeting where the decision was taken on 11 January was not followed.

He also argues that the application, as accepted, runs counter to planning policies, including running 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.

He also states that the project will create a traffic generation problem in an already dangerous road.

Thus far two petitions were presented throughout the whole process.

One was conducted by the Residents Association against the project, and a more recent one which was presented to the board which contained signatures in favour of the project.

Head of the Maghtab Residents Association, John Portelli, previously told this newsroom regarding the second petition that Maghtab residents had signed a petition years ago against the application for the station and said that no residents came forward to remove their name from that petition, which he says is still valid.