The Planning Authority has been urged to revoke a planning permit for a massive sheep farm in Bidnija since there were missing details in the environmental process leading up to its approval.
In a fresh report, the PA’s Development Management Directorate, together with the authority’s legal counsel, are recommending that the Planning Authority should invoke Article 80 of the Development Act on the basis of “an error on the face of the record”.
It is also recommended that the planning application be reprocessed. The decision will be taken on April 25.
This is the latest twist in a saga involving the three-storey sheep farm that has attracted various objections since it was first approved for construction in a previously untouched valley.
The huge facility covers an area of 3,200 square metres in the middle of Bidnija’s Wied tal-Ħżejjen.
Objections to original permit
It was given the green light in February 2019 by the Planning Authority’s commission which deals with applications outside the development zone (ODZ), chaired at the time by Elizabeth Ellul.
The permit for PA application 07946/18 was granted despite objections received from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.
However, the sheep farm was recommended for approval by the case officer responsible for the application because it was in line with rural policy.
ERA had expressed “considerable” concerns about its location in an untouched valley. It had also pointed to the size of the project and the fact that it was out of context with its surroundings.
By September 2019, the large edifice was already being constructed, with farmers in the area remarking that it “resembles more a luxury villa than a farm”.
In January last year, planning lawyer Claire Bonello, on behalf of various non-governmental organisations and a list of individuals, submitted a request for revocation of the permit.
In its assessment of the ground for revocation, the Development Management Directorate dismissed most of the NGOs’ complaints except for one which dealt with policies dealing with areas of ecological importance (AEIs) and sites of scientific importance (SSIs).
These state that no residential, industrial, commercial, tourism development, infrastructure or public utility works will be permitted in such areas except following a satisfactory environmental impact assessment undertaken and approved by the PA.
The directorate stated that, although the correct and applicable policies were applied when granting the permit, it failed to detail further the provisions of policies which may have raised concerns on the acceptability of the proposal due to an incomplete assessment as required by the same policy.
“Therefore, the Planning Authority deems that this is a satisfactory reason which merits revocation procedures as per Article 80,” the directorate said.
The PA is still considering a separate application for a residence, retail outlet, guest rooms and other commercial spaces.
PA 5895/22 was filed by Peter Bernard Carbonaro on behalf of Bidnija Farming Enterprise Ltd.
This company was incorporated just one week before the plans were submitted. The architect in charge is Konrad Bezzina, who is listed as a company director and shareholder.
In an interview with Times of Malta last year, registered farmer Jason Vella insisted it was a genuine sheep farm.
“The dream for this place was to keep sheep and to have people come see them and learn the process of how things are done. I’ve always believed in the potential of these animals,” he insisted.