Old age homes in ODZ

Most of us have had trouble finding room in a residential care home for our elderly relatives. Therefore, on hearing about the recent spate of applications to build new ones – currently there are projects in Naxxar, Birgu, Sta Lucija, Fgura and Sliema tha

Questions arise, however, regarding the locations for these proposed homes. Most of the applications mentioned above are outside the development zone. In Naxxar, there are two open applications. PA/03592/16 is on a disused farm on Triq Gharghur, whereas PA/05367/16 is on a site of 13,000 m2 on Triq talBalal. In Birgu (PA/03346/16), they are hoping to build a home in a protected area overlooking Ta Hawli Valley. Situated on the highest point of St Lucija, the fourth projected home (PA/ 02910/16) will be clearly visible from everywhere, while residents will be able to enjoy views of Wied Garnaw. Finally, in Fgura, residents will enjoy views of Wied Blandun (PA/04112/16). It bears repeating that all these sites lie outside the development zone.

Clearly, many owners of what is supposedly undevelopable land think they might be allowed to build an old people’s home on it, since such facilities are much needed on this island, and public opinion is on their side. However, I doubt that these projects are intended for the average pensioner. Rather, this is development for speculative reasons and will probably cater to the same market that is supposed to buy all the luxury residences being built around the islands.

When did so many property developers suddenly become interested in old age? As pointed out by James Debono in MaltaToday (3rd January 2017), the Planning Authority has apparently guided some into citing the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development in order to have their applications approved. The relevant paragraph attempts to “guide the location of new social and community facilities within the Urban Area and where no other feasible alternatives exist allow consideration within appropriate locations in the Rural Area for education, health, elderly, disabled and rehabilitation facilities”.

In other words, the very policy that is supposed to guide development away from ODZ is being invoked to justify development on ODZ. How does this happen?

Let us take the first application mentioned above – the disused farm near Gharghur. Previously, there had been applications for a villa and for a residential block – both turned down by the PA. The application for an old people home, as mentioned above, cites SPED T.O. 2.1 on the Planning Authority’s advice. The idea is that the application will be approved if there is no other site in Naxxar where an old age residence would be feasible.

The applicant is then asked to present a Site Selection Exercise. After weeks of asking for these documents, which are supposed to be publically available, I was finally able to access them last week, and to witness, once again, the sham procedures that pass for objectivity in this country.

SPED declares that before any ODZ is given, it first has to prove that there are no potential sites that could be used for the purpose within the development zone. That is, there are no buildings that can be used in their current form, no buildings that can be redeveloped and no vacant sites in the development zone. The use of ODZ land is only available as a very last resort.

Thus, the first Site Selection Exercise looked for existing buildings and sites in Naxxar, Gharghur, Iklin, San Gwann, Pembroke and Swieqi which could be used to house an old age home, or which could be redeveloped into such. The task seems enormous and one would have expected, at the very least, a desktop survey of the area, and some form of public consultation.

To me, the obvious place to put an old age residence in Naxxar is the old Trade Fair grounds. They are certainly large enough and only a five-minute walk away from the village centre. Residents there might even get to enjoy some open space and views. Furthermore, the place, which is often littered with used syringes, is now lying mostly unused and on the way to becoming derelict.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, I found no mention of the exTrade Fair grounds in the Site Selection Exercise Report. Instead, what the consultants did, cedures. Surely, you might think: isn’t that the only way to conduct a Site Selection Exercise? Even supposing the exTrade Fair Grounds are ideal, what right would the Planning Authority have to impose an old age residence on its owners?

I believe this kind of thinking is a remnant of our pre-MEPA days, when people bought land and built precisely whatever they wanted to on it. Ever since the introduction of planning in the 1990s that has not been the case, as many of us are aware.

The point of site selection exercises is to introduce a level of objectivity into planning. At this early stage of the study, the question asked is – apart from ownership and economic issues, where is the best place for an old people’s home in Naxxar? The costs and feasibility is studied later.

Considering that the Trade Fair Grounds are five minutes away from the applicant’s site, it beggars belief that no one thought of using that area. Perhaps the reason is that the Planning Authority is well aware of the owner’s plans for the area – yet another tower block of high-end luxury apartments – which is yet to be approved.

As for the right of the Planning Authority to impose on landowners, it is more than willing to do just that, by expropriating land at the cost of €151 million in order to rebuild Paceville. That is, it is willing to forcibly move people from their homes and businesses, in order to create open spaces. Why, then, if Naxxar so desperately needs an old people’s home, do we not force owners to accommodate it? The government could buy a couple of floors from Fairs and Exhibitions Limited’s future 17-meter high tower block, and house Naxxar’s pensioners there.

Instead, that plan is to build on natural sites, outside development zones, with little care for the consequences of urban sprawl on residents. Clearly this is a profit-driven enterprise and not primarily driven by social concerns. We do not have to support these applications, just because ‘we need homes for the elderly.’ We do need them, but not these kinds of homes, and not on ODZ.