A farm on ODZ land in Għasri has been operating illegally as a blacksmith for years, confirming fears by NGOs and the mayor that the scenic area, inundated by livestock applications, is under threat.
In March, Times of Malta had reported that a stretch of open green land at the entrance to the rural town was being targeted by farm applications, which risked turning the area into an industrial zone, paving the way for other deve-lopments.
It now emerges that one of the two farms already existing in the area has been used as a blacksmith since at least 2017, when it was hit with an enforcement order by the Planning Authority for the “illegal change in use.”
Contacted over the case, a spokesperson for the Planning Authority (PA) has confirmed, “Enforcement notice EC243/17 was issued, on a unit within the poultry farm, for the illegal change of use of to a blacksmith.”
“The use has not ceased, as instructed, and the PA is considering action which could be taken in this case,” Peter Gingell said.
A week later, Gingell added, “the Planning Authority has determined that the occupier of the premises is not the owner of the premises. The authority is in discussions with the occupier to relocate to alternative premises.”
The occupier of the premises is not the owner
Times of Malta has also confirmed that the owner’s wife is behind a pending application on land adjoining the site of the illegality to construct another poultry farm, rubble walls, a store and reservoir.
This is one of four pending applications for livestock farms in the ODZ area that the council and NGOs have raised concerns about.
Some of the applications are for locations designated as ‘areas of ecological importance’ which are, in principle, considered inappropriate for new livestock farms unless the site is not compromised.
Another concern was that the farms could be then transformed into other developments, as once a permit for a structure was approved applying for an extension was easy.
While many of the livestock applications run counter to policy protecting the area, people were using a clause in the law to say if there is already a farm there, they had the right to build another one, the mayor, Daniel Attard, had said.
Mario Mizzi, the owner of the land in question, pointed out that only a small part of the farm was being used for metal works by the occupier, and the farm was still being used to rear chickens.
“The occupier is a friend of the family’s and is using the space on a part time basis.
“We aren’t taking any money from him and he is now relocating his work somewhere else,” Mizzi said.
Asked about his intentions for a poultry farm on the adjoining site, he said the farm was genuine and would be to used rear free-range chickens there.