LIDL Is Trying To Build A Supermarket On ODZ Land In Żebbuġ
LIDL have filed an application to build a supermarket partly on ODZ land in the corner of Mdina Road and Attard Road in ?ebbug. The site they’ve chosen for development is considered an “area of containment”, an area specifically designated for industrial developments occurring on ODZ – or Outside Development Zones – land to be built in.
However, while the majority of the application for the new low-cost supermarket is in the area of containment, parts of the proposal, such as parking spaces, an entrance to an underground parking lot (which needs to be built) as well as a road giving access to the site would occur on ODZ land.
According the the submitted plans, there could be up to 140 parking spaces built, alongside a showroom, workshops, offices and retail space underground. LIDL also proposed to cover the roof in solar panels.
The site is also directly adjacent to il-Mit?na ta Srina’, which is a Grade 1 scheduled windmill. The buildings currently on the 13,550 sqm site, which include a showroom and a factory, would need to be demolished.
This would not be the first time LIDL encroached onto ODZ land – their Luqa and Safi stores both made use of ODZ land.
What do you think of this proposal?
READ NEXT: One Of Malta’s Foremost Environmental Groups Wants To Buy ODZ Land To Save It From Development
