Approved plans for Qala villa withdrawn after public outrage

● Qala Local Council ‘shocked’ at how a ‘mound of stones’ could become villa with pool

Gozitan businessman Joseph Portelli said he was withdrawing plans to build a villa in the Gozitan village of Qala – which were approved by the Planning Authority this week – following public outrage.

In a statement, the construction magnate said that a decision had been taken to “voluntarily renounce this permit with immediate effect.”

J Portelli Projects yesterday stated its project had been “singled out by the Planning Authority and the media.”

The Qala Local Council, however, was not taking the news at face value. It said that it was “taking legal advice regarding the recent announcement on the Qala development. Although the developer has said that he is renouncing the permit, we want to ensure that the permit has actually been revoked and will not be utilised in future.”

The company stressed that “tens, if not hundreds” of similar applications for similar sites in Outside Development Zones had been approved in the past.

“Some of these applications were granted permits for the erection of residences on sites which merely consisted of foundations of previous buildings,” the company said.

It also said it disapproved of how the Planning Authority had handled this particular application, adding that PA case officers had made submissions when the case was before the planning commission, which had not been done in any other case over the past six years.

“We never demanded any favours from the authority but we would never accept being treated differently to others,” the company said.

“The authority must ensure that its policies are clear in their application and applied formly.”

The company insisted it had carried out extensive research which confirmed that the property had been used as a residence in the past.

“In our case, we believe that the building that still exists on site merited restoration and made a request to add extensions to it. We also agreed to amend the plans and further reduce the extension, which is limited to additions attached and linked to the current building.”

The company, however, claims that the Planning Authority had gone to great lengths to put the project under intense scrutiny by sending case officers to make their submissions at the sitting of the PA’s planning commission, “something the authority has not done in any case over the last six years. It was also requested that the case be undelegated and heard before the planning board.”

The Qala Local Council had voiced its “shock and vociferous objection” to the Planning Authority’s decision to allow a dilapidated ruin - practically a mound of stones –to become a villa with a swimming pool.

The site in question is one of high landscape value and of great ecological and rural value. All applicable laws and policies militate against such a permit being issued, the council pointed out yesterday.

ENGOs objected to this insensitive and extensive project. Every expert consultative body also objected to the project.

“Yet,” the council explained, “the votes of seven board members were enough to neutralise all objections and expert opinion.”

The Qala Local Council said it “will not allow any form of intimidation to stop it from doing what is right and necessary to protect the country and is declaring that it will be a party to the appeal which will be filed.”

The council will be filing an appeal against the decision.

“This project will have a detrimental impact on the environment. When we have come together as a council and a community in the past; we have managed to overcome projects like this,” Qala Mayor Paul Buttigieg said. uni

The Planning Authority on Thursday rejected a recommendation against the project and instead gave it the green light, a decision condemned by environmental groups, among others.

Gozitan construction magnate Joseph Portelli filed an application to turn a 31-square-metre rural room in the countryside surrounding Qala – in an Outside Development Zone – into a large villa and outside space covering 4,000 square metres of agricultural land.

MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has demanded an explanation of what led to the decision, saying that unless this is done, his suspicions surrounding the project would grow.

Former PL general secretary Jason Micallef also took to Facebook to express his dismay.

“What a disgrace. Shameless! This government and the absolute majority that elected it deserves better than this. These atrocities must stop before it is too late,” he wrote.

He said the internal structures of the Labour Party had to lobby the government against such “strange” decisions.

“If this does not happen, then the PL itself will be allowing great harm to be done to this Labour government,” he said.

The government-appointed representative Clayton Bartolo was among those who voted in favour of the project. He was joined by PA board members Elizabeth Ellul, Duncan Mifsud, Jacqueline Gili, Joseph Brincat, Karl Attard and Alfred Pule.

PA chairman Vincent Cassar, Opposition MP Marthese Portelli, ERA chairman Victor Axiaq and NGO representative Annick Bonello Cassar all voted against.

The Curia’s Environment Commission also appealed to the Environment and Resources Authority to challenge the decision, which, it said, hurt all those who had the protection of the Maltese countryside at heart.

The Nationalist Party described the decision as “scandalous and obscene” and sealed the legacy of the government as one which destroys the natural environment and reduces to nothing laws enacted to safeguard the environment.