A tribunal has halted works on an ODZ Marsaskala fuel station construction project until an appeal against the decision by the Planning Authority to give it the green light has been decided.
Last October, the PA had dismissed a resident’s call for the revocation of the permit, finding instead for the planning directorate.
The resident in question had filed an appeal to the decision. The Planning Appeals Board, in a decision handed down on 20 May upheld the appeal.
According to the law, when a permit is given and subsequently appealed against, the appellant can request the suspension of the the permit – halting the works – until the final decision in the appeal is handed down.
If the permit is suspended, a decision must be handed down in 3 months from the first sitting – in this case a decision is scheduled for 10 June.
In its decree the PAB, composed of Architect Roderick Spiteri, Lawyer Carlos Bugeja and Architect Alessandra Fiott, noted that it was not permitted to examine the merits of the case, but only to carry out a preliminary assessment as to whether the suspension is required.
In view of the fact that the fuel station is proposed in a sensitive ODZ area, the tribunal suspended the permit until it could properly examine the issue at hand.
Lawyer Natalino Debrincat appeared for the appellants.