Now that the initial finger pointing at individuals who might benefit from Cabinet’s decision to extend the development zones is over, it is imperative that one studies the bigger picture and rationally examine how much land has been designated for development again, admittedly after an 18-year period.

On last Tuesday’s Realtà programme presented by Brian Hansford, Opposition spokesperson on Public Works and Roads Charles Buhagiar explained that these new zones as proposed by Cabinet, and ratified by MEPA, include a large number of inconsistencies and questionable decisions as large tracts of land in the middle of nowhere have been included in the building scheme.

Mr Buhagiar said there are particularly glaring cases in Attard and Siggiewi where large tracts of private land are being earmarked for development. In fact, 58 per cent of the land proposed for development belongs to private individuals with the remaining land (42 per cent) owned by the government.

However, Nationalist Party spokesperson and mayor of Siggiewi Robert Musumeci insisted that the government’s intention is to correct the anomalies created by the 1988 Temporary Development Schemes and that for the first time ever, the public has the chance to submit its requests and objections to MEPA before a decision is eventually taken.

However, a closer look at the maps published on MEPA’s website show that the enormous tracts of land being allocated for development will create another building boom, which is not really necessary given the large percentage of vacant dwellings currently available.

The village/town that will be most affected is definitely Gharghur, which has no less than seven parcels of land earmarked for development. One of the most prominent ones completely encloses the Ta’ Xwieki Housing Estate (D) and almost doubles the area designated for development. Other large sites in Gharghur include the area (B) behind some villas and farmhouses on the main road into the village, and another tract located on the periphery of the village facing Wied id-Dies and Madliena (F). This tract includes several villas that were built outside the development zone but have now been included in the scheme.

Siggiewi will also expand significantly as two enormous tracts of land have been allocated for development. The most prominent one lies on the unbuilt side of the bypass (A) leading to the village; there is another enormous tract slightly further up, which will encourage further development and extend the boundaries substantially (B).

Attard, which has grown rapidly in the past two decades will also expand considerably. Again there are two plots of land given up for development, both on the limits of the village just past Mount Carmel Hospital on the other side of the road. Tract A is big lengthwise and extends across the back of terraced houses. Tract B is isolated from all development and includes a sizeable number of plots opposite a built up area, which will lose its views of the countryside. Another tract of land, which lies between a built up area and a tract that has been included in the development zone to the north of the village, has, strangely enough, been excluded from the development zone.

Dingli is also losing large tracts of land to development with the most prominent being a sizeable parcel of plots on both sides of the road that leads to the cemetery and Dingli Cliffs. This tract (C) includes some buildings that were built outside the temporary scheme and have now been incorporated in the new scheme. Sources told this newspaper that the land on the other side of the cemetery included in the revised schemes was actually supposed to be a green area while the opposite side is an area that was previously in the scheme. The exact opposite to the guidelines laid down was done, with the area that was previously in the scheme being completely left out.

Naxxar and Mosta will also grow substantially larger while Msida is losing its last large tract of undeveloped land at Tal Qroqq. This paper will analyse these localities and others next week with the respective maps.

Mr Buhagiar confirmed on Realtà that it was Minister Pullicino who attacked Dr Sant after the former’s adjournment speech and had to be restrained by Labour MP Roderick Galdes and a parliamentary staff member.