Opposition MPs on Monday evening protested about the removal of the requirement that petrol stations in ODZ land be located no closer than 500m from each other, if on the same side of the road. 

The public consultation period comes to an end of November 1.

Discussing the new policy during an Environment Parliament Committee meeting, MPs Jason Azzopardi and Marthese Portelli questioned the wisdom of this decision, officially expressing their objection and urging the Planning Authority to reconsider.

Defending the decision, Planning Authority officials said that the addition of stringent restrictions on the take-up of ODZ land made the added 500m restriction “unnecessary.”

The “stringent restrictions” include a smaller footprint of 1,000 sqm for relocated petrol stations granted planning permission in ODZ - down from the previous 3,000 sqm - and the requirement that petrol stations be in operation when the request for their relocation is made.

Addressing potential traffic concerns, PA officials also noted that Transport Malta would now function as a “clearing agency” when it came to applications concerning petrol stations, and would have to give its go-ahead for any such projects.

Although Environment Minister Josè Herrera had previously claimed that applications made before the coming into force of the new policy would have to be governed by old regulations, the Planning Authority was accused of “coming full circle” by the Opposition MPs when it appeared to have changed its mind. 

The PA officials stated that fuel station applications “at any stage” of consideration before a final decision was issued would have to be decided according to the new policy provisions, once these were issued.

Dr Portelli and Dr Azzopardi said that this change of tack contradicted the Government’s previous claim that any attempt to adjudicate current applications in terms of new policy would compromise applicants’ “legitimate expectations.”