Friday, 16th May 2008

Environmental NGO calls for rezoning of land near Villa Bologna

The environmental NGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar is petitioning residents against the rezoning from an open space to a development zone of a piece of land behind Villa Bologna in Attard.

The issue was raised late last year when the owners of Villa Bologna discovered that a part of their gardens had been zoned for development into apartments. Over the years, residents in the neighbourhood had been given reason to believe that this land would be turned into a public recreation space.

Instead, however, the land has been rezoned in the latest central local plans as a development area for five-storey apartments with semi-basement garages and penthouses.

The NGO, which will be holding a press conference open to the public on the spot tomorrow, said numerous Attard residents and environmental campaigners have joined the campaign, submitting letters to newspapers expressing outrage at the rezoning and calling for more people to join in.

According to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa), the rezoning was part of the process with which the present local plans were developed and which involved a consultation process.

Nonetheless, the NGO said that Mepa's interpretation of public consultation at the time fell far short of the accepted meaning which indicates a full discussion of all changes to be made.

The NGO is calling for a formal ruling, overturning Mepa's decision to allow development in this open space.

Comments

Joseph Anthony Debono (on 16/5/08)

Residing in the Three Villages, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the erstwhile open spaces and characteristics of these villages are being rapidly plundered for purposes that sound suspiciously venal. This area, Ta Fgieni, has long been planned as a green area for the relief of the residents from dense habitations. Apart from crowding out this area with more buildings, the planned constructions would inundate the residents with the flotsam and jetsam of the building industry. The residents deserve some respite from over-construction and the misery following in the wake of the building industry.

Astrid Vella (on 16/5/08)

Kindly permit us to set right the incorrect impression that has been given. The Ta' Figieni area has been re-zoned to three floors plus semi-basement, not five as has been reported. However this still deprives the residents of the Public Open Area they had been promised, in a neighbourhood which which was described by the MEPA Local Plan as having too few recreational areas.

Many of the changes brought about by the August 2006 Local Plans are having a negative impact on the quality of life of residents through over-development, bringing with it traffic problems, lack of light, air and open spaces, and we invite everyone who is concerned about this issue to join us tomorrow at 11am at Pjazza Fgieni. More information can be found at: www.ambjentahjar.org

Astrid Vella

Johanna Scicluna (on 16/5/08)

Almost adjacent to this area, the Joint office owns a large piece of land, which is also designated to be built. In fact in February 2004 an application was submitted PA 00922/04. One is to note that under this property there are very old huge water reservoirs, dating back hundreds of years that may be used to relief flooding in Balzan. Beside this land belonging to joint office has already been tempered on one side. One is to also note that no recreational area is planned on this land, but just building, despite the massive carob tree there is. Aren't old carob trees protected? Or we have a clean conscience if we replace that tree by donating another 'one' to the local council?
One is also to note that a wide road is planned to link Triq il-Ponsjetta with Triq Lorenzo Manche'. That would mean more traffic to flow through Triq Sant’Andrija, Lija!!!!

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, October 12, 2008. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Environmental NGO calls for rezoning of land near Villa Bologna

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