The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has lost all sense of logic, direction and credibility, Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairman Stephen Cachia said yesterday with reference to the authority’s approval for the construction of a new supermarket in the limits of Safi.

Speaking before a backdrop of tonnes of soil recently excavated to make way for another supermarket, Mr Cachia slammed the approval claiming a series of irregularities in the granting of a permit.

Mr Cachia said AD is seriously preoccupied about Mepa’s present structure, which he said is more in favour of development than the environment and planning authority it claims to be.

Also speaking yesterday, former Nationalist Party deputy general secretary Carmel Cacopardo commented on the fact that the Mepa’s Planning Directorate had submitted a recommendation to refuse the application. Additionally, Mr Cacopardo said that even the Agriculture Department had objected to the development by way of a letter at the end of October 2006.

Over and above that, the local plan had identified the land in question as agricultural in nature.

“As usual, the relative DCC overturned this recommendation without any valid reason,” AD said yesterday in a statement. “Ironically its go ahead was based on the fact it will not undermine the agricultural policy, it will not cause any traffic problems and that it is essential for the local community.“

AD spokesperson for the south Saviour Sammut explained how the land earmarked for development forms part of a landscape that the Safi local council had pledged to turn into a belvedere overlooking a picturesque view of tilled, ploughed and farmed fields and other distant views of parts of Malta.

Mr Sammut questioned whether the Safi council would still do what had been pledged and observed that people would be sitting on benches overlooking truckloads of merchandise and groceries for the supermarket.

Mr Sammut said the DCC at Mepa is conveniently in favour of the developer and that Mepa’s claims that the land was of no agricultural value since it was being tilled and farmed until the development had commenced. Nor could Mepa’s claims that the development would not create traffic inconveniences be believed since, he said, it is already increasingly difficult to use the road with cars parked on both sides of the road as there was not enough space for cars used by teachers and staff from the nearby the new built St Benedict College, let alone when the supermarket opens its doors for business.

Mr Sammut claimed it was evidently very convenient to say the development is essential for the local community. Any development, he added, offered short term benefits but in the long run this development has paved way for more destruction of the local and national environment.

He commented: “The category of this development is ‘Outside Scheme’. If the DCC (Development Control Commission) wants to be taken seriously it should have upheld the DPA recommendations and refused outright this development in a green area which serves as a buffer zone/green belt between the two villages of Hal-Safi and Hal-Kirkop. Now it will serve as an excuse for construction activity to put a foothold on this area of fields to further develop it into yet another urban sprawl.”

Sammut reiterated AD’s policy, including the need to give the Mepa Auditor total autonomy from the politically appointed Mepa board. He called for Mepa to be split into two separate authorities, one for planning, and the other for environmental protection, with both being directly under the supervision of parliament.

“Alternattiva Demokratika feels that even though it is still not represented in parliament, it still has achieved a lot for our country. And this only goes on to prove that with AD elected in parliament much more will be achieved,” he added.

Also speaking yesterday, ADZ Green Youth spokesperson Maryanne Zammit said it was a great pity that such development was being approved in the vicinity of the newly built St Benedict College as it would threaten the safety of incoming and outgoing students. Educational policies, she said, should place an emphasis on a holistic approach and as such should concentrate on education as well as the need for space and good quality air to breathe.