The Planning Authority on Thursday revoked a permit for a massive sheep farm in Bidnija, with the farmer having to file a fresh application which will be considered from scratch.
The board accepted the recommendation by the PA’s Development Management Directorate, together with the authority’s legal counsel, who recommended the PA to invoke Article 80 of the Development Act on the basis of “an error on the face of the record”.
The error included missing details in the environmental process leading up to its approval.
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.
The original permit had been given the green light in February 2019 by the PA’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 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” concern over its location in an untouched valley. It 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 the revocation of the permit.
When the matter was discussed by the PA board on Thursday, the board members unanimously approved the revocation as well as the reprocessing of the application from scratch.
This would mean that the environmental authorities must reconsider the application, including whether a detailed environmental impact assessment is needed.
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 is to keep sheep and 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 had insisted.