Alternattiva Demoratika, through its Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, has submitted a formal objection to the application for the development of a new Chiswick school on virgin land in Pembroke.

The application was the subject of a protest by residents last week.

“The application is objectionable due to its being in conflict with the North Harbours Local Plan and in particular as it conflicts with local plan policy NHPE 09,” Cacopardo said.

“It is established in local plan policy NHPE 09 that the area where the site under consideration is subject to a Pembroke Development Brief, which Brief, although not yet published  has to address four specific objectives listed in the said local plan policy NHPE 09, that is to say: 1)non-industrial employment generating uses of a national/regional catchment area, 2)leisure uses,3)a Local Centre and 4)private sector housing.

The application under consideration does not concern any one of the said objectives and consequently it should be refused immediately as it is objectionable on a point of principle.

Without prejudice to the above, it is submitted that the site under consideration is too close to an environmentally protected area designated as a Natura 2000 site. Consequently any development in the vicinity should conform to the environmental limitations imposed by the EU Habitats Directive.

In view of the above it is submitted that application PA5424/17 should be refused.”