Mellieħa residents are objecting to the construction of a chicken farm outside the development zone, which they say will harm the rural environment and lead to bad odours at a nearby school and residential area.

The application, by Joseph Gauci, is being reconsidered by the Mepa appeals tribunal today. It was originally turned down last January by the Environment and Planning Commission with three votes against and no votes in favour.

The proposed development is earmarked for the Tat-Tomna area, just off Louis Wettinger Street atop Mellieħa ridge, adjacent to a recently-sanctioned chicken farm also belonging to Mr Gauci.

Mr Gauci is appealing on the basis of a recently approved permit sanctioning the farm, which had been operating for a number of years and had been the subject of several enforcement notices, after a number of reconsiderations.

He is therefore arguing that the new, proposed farm should be allowed under a policy permitting “the construction of a new building, or redevelopment of, or an extension to an existing building” as long as it is within the boundary of an operational farm.

However, objectors to the project, who have circulated a petition against the development, are pointing out that the new application does not form part of the same site as the existing farm and should therefore be considered a new building on uncommitted land. They also argue that the building, being proposed on ODZ land, is in complete disregard of its surroundings and alienates the area through the elimination of traditional rural features.

The rectangular structure will be visible from long distances and does not fit in with the rural context in terms of its design.

Moreover, residents say the proposed farm is located just 160 metres away from a residential zone, and located in the trajectory of prevailing winds which blow onto the homes as well as a football nursery school.

The existing chicken farm, located adjacent to the proposed site, is already considered a nuisance by residents due to the smells carried by the prevailing wind.

Mepa policy specifically calls for the location, design and operation of developments to be controlled so as to safeguard the environmental health of surrounding areas. The Rural Policy and Design Guidance suggests that animal enclosures should not be located within 200 metres of development zones due to noise, odours and visual intrusion.

Another objection is the proposed development lies close to a water pumping station operated by Water Services Corporation, which taps into the perched aquifer on Mellieħa ridge.

The developer, meanwhile, is arguing that the proposed new farm should be allowed on the merits of the adjacent chicken farm and that certain Mepa policies should therefore be disregarded.