Yet another fuel station application on ODZ land is currently making its way through the planning application process at the Planning Authority, just down the road from an already existing fuel service station.

The application would see a new station built on Tal-Balal road, the road connecting Naxxar to San Gwann, not too far from the existing station where a Mac Donald’s drive through currently stands.

The Planning Authority website describes the application as one for full development permission, and the case category reads “Outside Development Zone”. The application was filed in June 2015, however is still listed on the PA website as going through the screening process.

According to the proposed layout, as at July 2017, the site would feature an enclosed ATM, with a bathroom next door. The plans include four pump stations, able to cater for eight cars simultaneously, a service station and shop, a tyre service, parking spaces, five car wash spaces, and a road on the actual site for easier access and what seems to be to limit road congestion.

According to the Environment Resources Authority Environment Impact Assessment screening document, the proposed site has an area of approximately 3,000 sqm. “The site falls within the Central Malta Local Plan and is designated as a ‘highly traffic area’. During the six months construction period, all the vehicles, including those of the workers together with the machinery to be used will be parked on site, thus the on street parking should not be affected, and the present traffic flows will continue.”

In the same document’s conclusions it reads that the project qualifies for an Environment Impact Assessment, that the envisaged impacts of the proposal are such that the development cannot be exempted from such EIA requirement, and that the EIA requirement “is without prejudice to the overall objection to the proposal from an environmental point of view.”

Nature Trust Malta has registered as an objector, according to the Planning Authority website. “Nature Trust Malta would like to register its objection against the 'regularisation' of this development which is actually a car park being converted into a service station complete with ATM/ Carwash etc. NTM is against development in ODZ especially in view of the fact that another petrol station lies less than 350m away from this road. Also it lies within the water protection zone. Any form of sanctioning/ regularisation should be denied and the owners forced to reinstate the land to its original agricultural use.”

One questions why there is need for so many fuel stations, when Prime Minister Joseph Muscat last September spoke of introducing a cut-off date beyond which all new car purchases would have to be of electric or similar vehicles. If Malta is truly going green, the Planning Authority is expected to update its policy in preparation for such a move.

Muscat, in his September statement, said that vehicle emissions are a major source of pollution in Malta, and that some countries set 2025 and 2040 cut-off dates after which no diesel or petrol vehicles may be bought. He mentioned a public consultation in this regard.

A number of fuel station applications have also been the source of controversy.

As an example, the Maghtab fuel station application saw PA board members originally take a preliminary vote which showed the board to turn down the application, yet to the surprise of objectors resulted in a vote in favour of it just weeks later. The objectors argue that a number of PA board members who were not present for the preliminary vote – where the presentation by the objectors was delivered – took part in the final vote. They also questioned how two board members voted against the application in the preliminary vote, but for the application in the main vote. Objectors have said that they will appeal the decision.

Another application saw the Planning Authority approve that a fuel station be built on ODZ land in Marsascala, despite ERA concerns. The development will take up around 1,500 sqm of agricultural land on Triq Sant' Antnin, and includes a shop, two garages, a back office, VRT and car services facilities. The application will mean the decommissioning of a fuel station in Floriana. 

Both the Alternattiva Demokratika and the Partit Demkratiku have criticised the policy. In his blog, AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said “New petrol stations are mushrooming all over the place, and not only is it easier to obtain a development permit to construct a petrol station but you get the added ‘concession’ to ruin up to 3,000 square metres of surrounding land.”

Cacopardo said that “ those proposing the development of new petrol stations claim to be doing us a favour. They argue that the increasing number of cars on the road necessitates more and more petrol stations. The number of petrol stations in the Maltese islands currently stands at around 80 and new ones are mushrooming, undoubtedly fuelled by the 3,000 square metres permissible footprint in the 2015 planning policy. It is submitted that the policy on the development of fuel stations should complement the policy on the phasing out of internal combustion engines and an immediate moratorium on the development of new petrol stations is essential.”

The Partit Demokratiku said in a statement that it was high time that this policy was revisited.