ERA cites ‘significant concern’ over cumulative impact of residential dwelling applications on ODZ land

The Environment and Resources Authority has highlighted its concern over the ‘numerous proposals’ for residential dwellings on land located outside the development zone, while responding to a particular application for apartments in Gozo.

“There is significant concern regarding the cumulative environmental impact caused by the numerous ad hoc proposals for residential dwellings currently being proposed on ODZ land,” the ERA said.

The outline development application in question where the ERA aired such concerns, is for a small apartment block located just outside the development zone in San Lawrenz, Gozo. The proposal would see around nine apartments constructed over three floors, according to the plans, on Triq San Lawrenz, in Gozo. The proposal also includes a basement garage.

The ERA has aired strong concerns over this particular outline development application proposing a small apartment block in the countryside. “The nature of the proposed development in this current application seeks to formalize the countryside through the consolidation of the urban development,” the ERA said while saying that it strongly objects to this application. The ERA seems to be concerned with allowing this development to occur as it would set precedent for the surrounding area.

The ERA, in its letter to the Authority, continues to argue that “the proposed development would lead to the proliferation of large-scale urban-type development and the introduction of

urban uses outside the development zone, which together will result in urban sprawl and additional adverse impacts on the visual amenity and natural character of the area.” The ERA also said that the application would result in the take-up of further undeveloped rural land and that such development will result in blank walls “which are not acceptable particularly in terms of visual impact.”

The ERA argues that while certain developments may still be considered in the rural area, the resulting environmental impacts of such development need to be limited to those cases that genuinely require a rural location.

“ERA considers that various areas have already been designated for such use in the urban area and therefore, there is no justification for this type of urban development in the rural area.

“Moreover, approval of this development will create an undesirable precedent for further encroachments of built development in this particular area and possible pressures for subsequent future ancillary physical interventions (such as pools, etc.) which cumulatively would lead to the significant overall change in the appearance of the surroundings and wider context.”

“The ERA’s consistent position in relation to such projects has been and consistently remains that there is no valid justification for the further loss of undeveloped land outside the development zone boundary, along with the associated environmental impacts to accommodate such use. There is also significant concern regarding the cumulative environmental impact caused by the numerous ad hoc proposals for residential dwellings currently being proposed on ODZ land, and in this particular case about the opening up of the remnant rural lands of this particular area to development pressures. In this regard, the proposal is strongly objectionable from an environmental perspective.”

With regard to this particular application, the ERA said that the proposal is strongly objectionable from an environmental perspective.

This particular application is not the first time the ERA has highlighted the effects of such proposals on ODZ land, and in fact has done so on a number of occasions.

In a Parliamentary Question posed by PN MP Toni Bezzina back in 2017, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg published documentation showing that between 2013 and 2017 (including both years) the Planning Authority validated 607 development applications related to construction of residences (including alterations or extensions to existing dwellings), on land not within the development zone or in a conservation zone.

The documentation further showed that 208 of these applications were for new dwelling and were granted.

It is not just residential dwellings that saw such a statement made by the ERA either. Back in March 2018, this newsroom had reported a similar statement made by the Authority, but about fuel station applications.