Reference is made to the article entitled “Mgarr Petrol Station: NGOs question Mepa’s environment credentials” (TMIS, 14 August). In the article four environmental groups, Ramblers Association, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Malta Organic Agricultural Movement and Friends of the Earth call on Mepa to immediately revoke the full development permit granted last week for the relocation of a petrol station in Mgarr. In their statement this group of eNGO make a number of incorrect statements one of which was that the outline permit issued in 2006 had expired.

The Authority can confirm that the outline development permit (PA 3920/98) granted on 2 March 2006 had not expired. One of the conditions in this development permit required that the applicant, within five years of the date of this permission, had to submit a full development application for the approval of Mepa. The applicant adhered to this permit condition on 21 February 2008, nearly two years after the outline permit was granted.

Some two years ago, the Authority, in order to facilitate the work of eNGOs, had given them free access to view planning applications and their plans and free credit facility to download case officer reports and permit conditions. The Authority questions the reasons why these four eNGOs chose to issue incorrect facts in their media statements when they have all the facilities they require to check out any details with the Authority.

While the Authority recognises that it is not ideal that petrol stations, which are a potential hazard in village cores, are relocated to ODZ sites, with this particular application Mepa was restricted and legally compelled to issue this permit on this site.

With a 2006 valid outline permit on site, which had been granted following a site selection exercise and an EIA, the Authority also considered that, through a public deed, the applicant was being bound not only to shut down and decommission his existing petrol station, but also to dismantle his vehicle servicing garage operation and re-instate a large parcel of agricultural land, situated in an ODZ area near the parish church, which was being used as an open storage area for such plant and machinery vehicles. The applicant had also bought the government owned land, at market value, from the Lands Department in 2007.

All the present activities are incompatible with an urban environment and are a health hazard to the local community. No outdoor storage of any such plant and machinery vehicles is permitted.

The group of eNGOs also query how Dr Petra Bianchi, the Director for Environment Protection at Mepa could give this project her ‘blessing’. The Authority reaffirms that both the Environment Protection Directorate and the Planning Directorate, after assessing the full development application, were obliged to recommend this project for approval given that it reflected what was already granted in the 2006 outline permit.

Peter Gingell

Communications Manager

Malta Environment & Planning Authority