Of plans and projects: the T'Alla w Ommu case

Sites for the setting up of some 2,200 new micro-enterprise units have been identified by the Malta Environment & Planning Authority (MEPA). According to Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo, these "small time" enterprises are facing a huge problem, due to lack of adequate land for industrial purposes.

It was reported that the implementation of the proposed scheme should solve a problem that has been felt by several self-employed for many years. Such an 'industry' (according to him), that is car repairing, spray painting, furniture making and other similar garage-type activities, are of major importance to the island's economy.

Out of the 23 sites that were originally identified, one huge tract of agricultural land at T'Alla w Ommu has been identified and put on the priority list as a potentially strategic site where garage-type industry may be allocated.

Aggrieved residents, farmers and other individuals who have direct interests within or adjacent to the area have joined forces and are currently being represented by the Tal-Budaqq Residents and Owners Association.

The association has already forwarded two submissions to MEPA: the first was sent in October last year and subsequently on August 13 this year following commencement of the public consultation period.

The association notes that the whole process leading to the identification of the sites has coincided at a time when the North West Local Plan and the Central Local Plan have just been finalised.

Also, interestingly enough, the draft North West Local Plan issued for public consultation is proposing that the agricultural land at T'Alla w Ommu should be retained for agricultural and horticultural purposes.

The site selection exercise commissioned by the government has been carried out in complete isolation from the general public and even by Naxxar council. This resulted in a lack of information to some or misinformation to others. By any standard, such tactics cause resentment and are unacceptable.

The association challenges the validity of the selection exercise identifying the T'Alla w Ommu area (and indeed others) as a potential SMEs site and further asks:

1. Why fertile agricultural land is being ruthlessly exploited when over half a million square metres of industrial land have been left idle for a good number of years, yet are readily available from MDC's estate portfolio?

2. To prove the point, the association refers to the Marsaxlokk Bay Local Plan Policy map 3, site marked MH06, which has been allocated for small-scale industry. The policy deals exclusively with garage industries highlighting their unacceptability and bad neighborliness. "When this is likely to happen," the plan continues, "alternative sites should be sought, and if this is not possible the site at Hal Far may provide an alternative" (May 1995).

MEPA officials may care to visit the site and check what has happened since then - absolutely nothing!

MEPA officials may also visit other sites at Hal Far and Ricasoli Industrial Estates, to name a few, and witness the pitiful state of huge tracts of land prime for industrial development left idle for the past decade to rot with all sorts of rubbish and construction rubble that has been illegally dumped upon.

Why cannot these sites be developed instead of greenfield sites like T'Alla w Ommu? Is it perhaps a planning mystery?

3. In its reply to the association, MEPA states that "industrial estates are managed by MDC and MEPA cannot interfere with this organisation's land allocation policies". The association argues that on the contrary, past records indicate otherwise.

MEPA's legal jurisdiction over any form of land use is exclusive and cannot be contested. A case in point is the highly parcelled agricultural land due east of Bulebel Industrial Estate (TPS 61 A).

The association is informed that this land was required some time ago for expansion purposes by a foreign operator (Carlo Gavazzi). The land is managed by MDC, yet MEPA persistently refused any industrial development application in the area due to its agricultural value, resulting in a considerable loss of foreign revenue to the island. The association asks, therefore, who has the final say in land allocation? Surely not the MDC.

4. If the main reason leading to the reduction in agricultural value of the land at T'Alla w Ommu is due to limestone dust generated by a nearby quarry and a number of plant yards, why has serious enforcement action not been taken to curb this irresponsible and abusive practice once and for all?

Moreover, is it to be taken therefore that henceforth any agricultural land close to a quarry or a building industry will be considered likewise and condemned as unfit... if so, one can be sure that large tracts of agricultural land in Malta and Gozo are about to be wiped off the map for ever.

5. Why does the report not comment on the derelict land (circa 17 tumoli) formerly used as a tarmac batching yard, and which by decree of the House of Representatives (ref KMKD 397 dated October 26, 1992) had to be reinstated back to agriculture following refusal (PB 365/91) by the Works Department at the time?

Why has no action been taken since, and to this very day the site remains visually offensive and derelict? Are we not adopting two weights and two measures when those who flouted the law in the past are now about to be rewarded by encapsulating their property within a newly created development scheme while others, like insignificant 15m2 storeroom requests for genuine farmers, are riddled with reasons for refusal?

6. The association notes the absence of discussion and thorough analysis of environmental issues, which are likely to affect the area should the SMEs project go ahead. There has been a serious lack of consultations with other units within MEPA itself.

It is clear that the Environmental Management Unit, the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Central Local Plan were not consulted enough or not at all during the site selection exercise; otherwise how could one, for example, explain the arising policy conflicts along the dividing line between the two plans?

To elaborate further, one would have expected that serious consultations with HAC will be carried out on a number of scheduled sites scattered in the area and how these could be affected within the overall context of the proposed Burmarrad National Park, including the Cart Ruts and the Victoria Lines Heritage Trail.

Moreover, the area is a regular stopover for many tour leaders dedicated to special interest, cultural and eco-tourism groups. It would be pathetically outrageous for a tourist operator to organise regular excursions to a heritage area overlooking a typical Maltese-style Silicon Valley.

7. Is it not nonsense to go through all the effort and expense to carry out a partial Structure Plan review to change well-established policies such as SET 8 and IND 6, whereas alternatively MDC's policy dealing with the release of industrial sites could be waived at a stroke of the pen, thus meeting instantly the demand (if any really exists) for SMEs?

After all this has already been done in the past "only 19 per cent of industrial premises on MDC estates have a floor space of less than 500 m2, the report says".

The association considers such a figure to be significantly high and the use of "only" very inappropriate. It drives one insane to think that in this day and age when the whole world is striving to achieve sustainable development and be guided by the principles in Agenda 21 to even consider committing new greenfield sites for industrial development when alternatives are available.

8. In assessing the agricultural land in question, what criteria were adopted and who were the experts? The association expects that the agro-technical reports relevant to the site should be made available for public scrutiny.

9. In rebutting the criticism, Mr Vassallo is quoted to have said: "No arable land is included among the sites involved in the schemes" (Malta Financial Times, August 28). The farmers, members of the association, would like to point out that this is not true in the case of T'Alla w Ommu sites. They further wish to enlighten Mr Vassallo on the meaning of "arable land", which refers to any land capable of being tilled for the production of crops.

They would also like to point out that the land being abandoned was solely due to farmers reaching retirement age and not because it turned out to be non-productive. Mr Vassallo may confirm this with the Agriculture Department.

10. The association feels that all this "planning" coincides (albeit clashes) with the Rural Development Plan for the Maltese Islands and emerging policies, which are currently in an advanced stage of completion. This is also a time when the two major wine producers/exporters are screaming their heads off for more land to be committed to viticulture.

Government just approved a Lm7.3 million expansion programme to boost the industry, which has already well established markets overseas. Currently only 320 hectares of land are dedicated to viticulture. This is not enough, the experts say.

We need at least another 1,200 hectares in the next ten years, but viable land like that of T'Alla w Ommu doesn't come easy. Setting up industry on any agricultural land is one way to ensure this.

11. To this day Mr Vassallo still insists in the media that the selected sites will not cause any negative impacts on the residents of the area. The association invites Mr Vassallo to a quick tour de camp around one of the selected sites at T'Alla w Ommu to see for himself that the projected boundary for SMEs runs exactly along the boundary walls of at least five residences.

Ms Calleja Gerada is chairman of the Tal-Budaqq Residents and Owners Association.