The agreement signed earlier this week between INDIS Malta and the Lands Authority as a result of which agricultural land earmarked for the extension of the Bulebel Industrial Estate was "saved from development" is a step in the right direction. It is however nowhere near enough, as all 126,000 square metres of land "saved" are still earmarked for development in the Local Plans.

While the Żejtun farmers have been "saved from development" the Żurrieq farmers in the Tal-Bebbuxu area have been treated quite differently. In the past days they have been notified with an eviction order as the land which they till is earmarked for development.

Agriculture land has been an easy target for development for several years. The local plans approved by Parliament in 2006 included a substantial agricultural area as suitable for development. The Gonzi Government piloted the approval of the Local Plans together with a rationalisation exercise which reclassified around 2 million square metres of land then outside the development zone (ODZ) as henceforth being suitable for development. The Labour Party, then in Opposition voted against this madness, yet it subsequently embraced it as if it were its own.

Lands Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi frequently replies to criticism levelled against his government by pointing to the approval of the local plans in 2006, as a justification for doing nothing.

While it makes sense to underline that the local plans and the rationalisation exercise is a PN created mess, it is pertinent to point out that Labour has now been in government for over twelve years. It has had more than enough time to clear the mess, yet it opted to stay put. It is politically convenient to keep encouraging the development of agricultural land but point fingers at others when faced with the consequential political responsibility.

ADPD-The Green Party is the only political party on record in all of its electoral manifestos since the 2008 general election with a definite commitment to seek the cancellation of the rationalisation exercise, when elected to Parliament. The other parties while speaking in favour of the protection of our agricultural land simultaneously insist on retaining the status quo as defined by the current local plans and the rationalisation exercise.

When push comes to shove the PNPL are always in favour of those who seek to develop agricultural land into further extensions of the concrete jungle which has enveloped our localities. The local plans are convenient scapegoats.

This issue crops up continuously. On the eve of the 2022 general elections Transport Malta had sought to start the process for developing a yacht marina at Marsascala. Readers will undoubtedly remember that in the ensuing uproar, the only defence brought forward by the Robert Abela led-government was that the matter resulted from the PN approved local plans. Lawrence Gonzi and George Pullicino were the ones to blame! Subsequently, faced with public pressure from the local community Robert Abela had to commit himself to amend the local plans and remove the yacht marina proposal from the Marsascala local plan.

This can be done again. Amending the local plans and cancelling the rationalisation exercise is possible even in the case of all the agricultural land earmarked for development. Moreover, when the agricultural land is government owned it should be much easier to do. Yet after twelve years of Labour government this (and other) agricultural land is still suitable for development.

This is a recurring matter. Two years ago, it was land at in-Nigret, also at Żurrieq, which was being bulldozed for development. Previously it was land in the Tal-Marnisi Area at Marsaxlokk or the Darumblat area in Mosta. There, extensive areas of agricultural land are still threatened with development too.

It is not just an issue of land use planning. It also undermines all efforts at encouraging agriculture and consequently at ensuring food security.

This is apparently the smart use of land which Vision 2050 will be encouraging in the next 25 years.

This is the real Vision 2050: one that encourages and protects greed. It is encouraged by a land use planning practice which protects the developers bank account in preference to the quality of life of our local communities.

An architect and civil engineer, the author is a former Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party in Malta.  [email protected] ,   http://carmelcacopardo.wordpress.com