It has now become one of Malta’s long-drawn out jokes – the upgrading of the Ta’ Qali Crafts Village.

The Ta’ Qali Action Plan was drawn up in February 2000, 13 years ago, and the relative Development Brief was published in January 2003.

A Development Control permit was issued in 2007 and an amendment to the  masterplan was approved in May 2007.

The application which was considered by the Mepa board yesterday was an amendment to this amendment and was submitted earlier this year.

But once again, the process ground to a halt, as will be seen.

The Crafts Village, as anybody who goes there, including thousands of tourists taken mostly on coaches but many nowadays making their way on public transport (and many times having to walk all the way from the Rabat road, rain or shine), is decrepit, neglected and a haphazard jumble of shops of which some have become manufacturing enterprises while others sell objects made in China as Maltese crafts.

Past governments have declared they wanted to refurbish and upgrade the area but discussions have been going on and on with no improvement seen on site. At one point, the government policy was that the government was to do the upgrading itself. Then the government decided the upgrading will be made by the outlet owners themselves.

A Memorandum of Understanding was even signed between Malta Industrial Parks on behalf of the government and GRTU representing the outlet owners.

There is incredible confusion on the ground: some have pulled down their previous outlet and rebuilt them. Others say they have no money to do that and will do nothing.

Basically, the Crafts Village is housed in what used to be the RAF Ta’ Qali station that sustained heavy bombing in World War II. Some, or many, of the outlets are found in old wartime Nissen huts, although some have had additions and changes made to them.

The area is 63,000 sq m and the agreement between MIP and GRTU is that the outlet owners redevelop their sites while MIP does the landscaping and upgrades the infrastructure of the area, from roads to street lighting, fie hydrants and a substation or two, not forgetting parking. Two outlets, one of which is Mdina Glass, which is to be found in the formal garden, outside the area, are to be relocated inside the area.

That part of the area next to the formal garden will be retained as a garden to be joined to the formal garden.

There was a certain urgency about the matter because this project is being lined up for ERDF funding and a decision in this regard will be taken on 8 July.

But the Mepa board was not impressed.

MIP on its part, through architect Ray J Vella, argued against the proposed €50,000 bank guarantee for landscaping and said it does not have the money. Besides, each outlet owner still has to decide whether he will upgrade his outlet or not. And, as said, some outlet owners do not want to redevelop.

Then the discussion turned on the design issue: while many thought the issue regarded the design of each outlet, it was specified that what the board wanted was more information on the overall design. It turned out that while there are general guidelines, no overall design exists.

At the same time, where one Nissen hut is shared by two outlets, the two must come to some sort of agreement as regards upgrading.

Mr Vella pointed out that some outlets have already upgraded, with full permits, such as Bristow Potteries.

Once this application is approved, each individual outlet owner has to apply for any upgrading with each application being vetted by MIP on general principles.

It was also revealed there are a number of Enforcement Notices with regards to the Crafts Village, but they regarded single outlets and will be tackled when the outlet itself applies for upgrading.

Mepa chairman Vince Cassar at the end suggested that the discussion should be deferred at least until 11 July so that MIP can bring up a general design for the area. But Mr Vella said he doubted this could be ready in such a short time.

Mr Cassar also suggested that next time the MIP management must be present as well so that it provides the answers to the questions the board may put.