From Mr J.A. Tyrrell

I just have to say a few words about the granting of a permit for the development of a supermarket on agricultural land between Safi and Kirkop.

What can I say? The environmental rapists strike again! This decision by Mepa is, for want of a better word, disgusting. In one fell swoop they have broken every single rule in the book in order to grant this permit.

Mepa officials who assessed the application, filed in 2006, recommended that the board should refuse to issue a permit as it breaches local plan policies and structural plan policies, as well as the guidelines for “large supermarkets”. The Depart-ment of Agriculture is against it, as it will be destroying “good cultivated agricultural land”. For this reason, it would be interesting to know whether Mr Anthony Mifsud, the Director of Agriculture who sits on this board, voted in favour of granting this permit.

The development planning application compiled by Mepa’s own officials clearly states that this development is not located within or adjacent to a scheme (edge of scheme) or designated area for development but is completely Out of Development Zone (ODZ). There is no approved policy for the replacement of existing agricultural buildings/disused farms into other land uses, such as commercial or industrial. They go on to say that there is therefore no reason or justification from a planning point of view for this proposal to be considered on this site.

This area is also a rural conservation area (RCO), meaning, “no form of urban development will be allowed”. The RCO policies state that Mepa should not permit developments that can “visually dominate or disrupt its surroundings because of its mass or location”. I think a 6,500 square metre super-

market towering nine metres over the surrounding fields and a 159-space car park would be kind of dominating! The area is also listed as an “agricultural area awaiting classification of agricultural value”. Such areas are protected from “all types of inappropriate development”, which basically restricts Mepa to permit only buildings related to agriculture.

Did Mepa’s DCC Board take one blind bit of notice of any of this? Of course not. It’s not the first time that these “independent” board members, appointed by the Environment Minister or the Prime Minister, have made it clear that they are above both Mepa’s regulations and the guidance of its experts. Once again, no impact assessment has been carried out or, indeed, requested. Neither was a retail impact assessment carried out or requested, which is required by Mepa guidelines on applications for large supermarkets. A traffic impact assessment was carried out but, of course, this backed the developer, even though the site is right next to St Benedict’s Secondary School.

For once, I’m rendered almost speechless, even though I’ve become used to the stupid decisions made by this authority. I have heard the word corruption used in relation to Mepa in the past, and when decisions like this are taken, is it any wonder? I can’t wait to see how devil’s advocate Sylvana Debono is going to justify this one.

J.A. Tyrrell

LARNE, CO. ANTRIM

N. IRELAND