The Gzira Local Council has taken court action against plans to relocate a fuel station in the area where one of the last standing community gardens currently exists. 

This project, which has long been criticised by the Local Council, was approved when the Environment and Review Tribunal confirmed that a fuel station next to the Manoel Island bridge will be shifted into the Council of Europe public garden located just 100 meters away. 

The tribunal turned down an appeal by the Local Council, who objected to the move of the petrol station. However, Gzira Mayor Conrad Borg Manche had made it very clear that he will continue fighting against the loss of space in the public garden. 

“The fuel station will now be next to the only open space in the most populous locality on the island,” he had written in a Facebook post. 

The Local Council had decided to open an appeal in the law courts against the relocation of the petrol station and in September it launched a parliamentary petition which has ranked up almost 3,000 signatures.

On Saturday, the Local Council continued its pursuit against this project, releasing a statement in which it said that it has filed a lawsuit to assess the legality of the ongoing procedures of this project. 

This was done in light of the fact that both their appeal with the Tribunal and the Courts were turned down, with alleged underhand dealings. 

“Since then, we have noticed that the Chairman of the Tribunal Joseph Borg is employed with the Planning Authority and he was present during both the hearing of the appeal which the PA was part of.” 

Thus, the Local Council is taking this issue to court and determine whether it is legal for someone who works with the PA to be present for the appeal’s hearing, especially considering that the Tribunal is supposed to be an independent entity. 

It added that it has filed another appeal to review the previous appeal considering these new revelations. 

The Local Council is there to defend all public and green spaces,” the Mayor noted. “It is unjust for the public to shoulder the weight of the commercialization of every area when those involved did not abide by the law.”