Residents from Qrendi, Mqabba, Żurrieq and Siġġiewi intend to protest plans to relocate a tarmac plant to Mqabba at an event this Sunday.

The peaceful protest is scheduled to take place at 10am in the main square in Qrendi, they said in a statement announcing the event.

Residents of the four villages are concerned that the Planning Authority intends to approve a proposal to relocate a BIP Ltd tarmac plant to a disused quarry in Mqabba from its current location in Ħal Far.

BIP Ltd is owned by Sandra Axiak and Francesca Penza, daughters of contractor Carmel Penza.

The PA’s case officer has recommended that the transfer be approved, but the application hearing, originally scheduled for November 14, was postponed as public scrutiny of the decision intensified.

Local councils of Qrendi, Mqabba, Safi, Rabat, Żurrieq and Siġġiewi have all declared they are against the plant’s relocation, and residents are concerned about the impact a tarmac plant would have on their long-term health.

“We cannot have a plant releasing toxic fumes throughout the day, at just 250m from a residential area,” said the residents in a statement.

“The plant will force many of us to keep their windows closed especially if the wind blows in the direction of our homes. We cannot understand how the Environmental Resources Authority can give its blessing to this plant, which poses a direct threat to our health.”

The ERA has not objected to the relocation plan, saying the plant would be around 500 metres away from the nearest residential area and unlikely to generate excessive noise.

The protest will be held on Sunday morning, residents said.

Residents say the closest homes are half that distance away – 250 metres.

A petition circulated by residents had around 2,000 signatories as of Wednesday morning.  

Residents said they hoped local MPs would join the Sunday protest, to hear residents and their concerns, and called on the PA to deny the permit outright.

The controversy mirrors a similar situation in Iklin, where residents have complained about toxic fumes being released by another, similar plant, operated by Bitmac Ltd.

Despite complaints from residents including a sitting cabinet minister, the environmental regulator, ERA, has said that it is powerless to intervene in that situation.

Updates about the Sunday event are available online.