An application for the building of an old people's home in a disused quarry between Swieqi and San Gwann was unanimously rejected by the Planning Authority this afternoon.

Residents as well as the San Gwann and Swieqi had campaigned to protect the valley known as Wied Ghomor, insisting that this project would have amounted to more development in a open area.

Aside from residents, PN shadow minister for the environment Marthese Portelli and  MP Kristy Debono were present seated with those protesting the development, as well as representatives from Front Harsien ODZ, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar and Din L-Art Helwa and a couple of Mayors from the local councils that would be affected.

During the board meeting, a petition with 4,500 signatures against the project was presented to the board.  

During the presentation, the architect behind the project Stephen Farrugia explained that this project has been in the making for ten years, and there were discussions within that period that saw the amount of land to be allocated to the actual construction vary between 5% and 10%. In the end, however, the development would have used up 8% of the land for the five storeys.

The proposal, he said, would see a third of the site given back to the public, while the rest would be used for the elderly home and surrounding grounds. The elderly home, he said, would have around 133 rooms, but due to the surrounding area, would only rise two storeys above the hole.

Planning Authority Chairman Vince Cassar did not support the idea of the project and said that it clashed with SPED policies.

The question about public land also arose, with those representing the owners of the land saying that there was only public access, and other saying that part of the project was actually on public land.

Ryan Callus, a PN MP who is also on the board, spoke of the importance of safeguarding the last green lung in the area.

Both the San Gwann mayor Etienne Bonello DuPuis and Swieqi Mayor Noel M uscat were present objecting to the project, stating that the development itself included a large restaurant thereby indicating plans to expand later, and also the current problems Swieqi residents face due to overdevelopment and limited road infrastructure.

PN shadown minister for the environment Marthese Portelli called SPED Mepa's constitution, and said that any policy must follow those guidelines. She quoted from a number of thematic objectives, which focused on limiting construction on protected areas.

PN MP Kristy Debono stressed that this was the only green lung left in the area and mentioned the increased pollution such a development would bring.

FAA Coordinator Astrid Vella highlighted the ecological impact of such a development, adding that in the DPA report there was no mention to regulations relating to protected areas, "Its shocking" she said.

DLH representative Joanna Spiteri Staines highlighted that the development would have affected the water heading into the acquifer and that the local plan itself protects Wied Ghomor.

A number of other residents spoke, and the issue of the elderly themselves arose with arguments that the actual building would not be within the community.  As Astrid Vella put it, "ghettos away from their families and the community". They also argued that this construction would set a precedence for the rest of the valley.

In a statement, Flimkien għal Ambjent Ahjar welcomed the Planning Authority’s decision to unanimously refuse the application to build a home for the elderly in the quarry at Wied il-Ghomor, one of the few remaining unbuilt areas between Swieqi and San Gwann.

At the MEPA hearing FAA expressed its shock that the Case Officer report recommending approval of this application referred to quarry regulations allowing such a development, but failed to quote environmental and ecological regulations which gave extra protection to this valley as an Area of Ecological Importance and Site of Scientific Importance.  FAA fails to understand how the Case Officer could recommended approval of the permit since the Resources Authority refused it in view of the fact that the permeable Coralline limestone of this valley feeds the nearby aquifer.

The SPED policy also stipulates that development should not encroach on Out of Development Zones where alternatives are available, therefore the recommendation should have been to refuse since since alternatives are available.

Finally FAA asks how come the Planning Report failed to take the residents’ and end users’ interests into account when the Planning Authority’s remit is : “to secure a balanced and sustainable environment for our community and provide a better quality of life”.  The proposed development violates Malta’s National Health Systems Strategy 2014-2020 : “there will be increased focus on empowering and encouraging communities to become more involved in the provision of informal care in the community and as near as possible to where people are residing and working.” 

This development would have set a precedent leading to the building of the whole valley, impacting the residents with loss of open space, increased traffic and pollution, while isolating the elderly. It is augured that this decision will lead the way to more consideration of communities’ well-being at the Planning Authority. 

With reference to the PA board decision on the application for an Old People's Home in Wied Ghomor, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: "It is good that common sense has prevailed in today's decision.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as we have seen in the past three days where permits for development in ODZ areas in Mellieha, Rabat, Mqabba and Mgarr were granted.  This is not acceptable. ODZ is ODZ.  We now look forward to the 18,000 square metre Zonqor ODZ project being dropped too".

 

Valley should be expopriated and turned into natural park

In a statement the Nationalist Party welcomed the PA’s decision which, it said, was in the interests of residents of Swieqi, St Julian’s, Gharghur and San Gwann.

It said it had been speaking on behalf of these residents for many months, insisting that Wied Ghomor should be protected. The PN said it was proposing that the government expropriate the valley in order for it to be rehabilitated into a natural park for the enjoyment of the residents of these four localities.

 

The party thanked the Swieqi, San Gwann and St Julian’s local councils for working for the residents and for the protection of the valley.