A Win For Gżira: Court Confirms Annulment Of Decision To Relocate Petrol Station To Public Garden
An appeals court has confirmed the decision taken by the Tribunal to annul the Land Authority’s plan to relocate a petrol station to the public Independence Gardens in Gżira.
This comes after the Gżira Local Council filed an appeal over the Lands Authority’s decision to transform a public garden into a petrol station, asking the courts to annul the decision.
“This is a win for the people! Thank you to everyone who believed in our cause and helped us by signing the petition,” Gżira Mayor Conrad Borg Manche said on social media after the win.
Public use of the site was granted to the local council decades ago, with the Lands Authority then opting to revoke the lease and administration of the public garden.
The Lands Authority had notified the local council that it is revoking the lease of around 930 square metres of the current garden, one of the last remaining green areas in Gżira.
The council was therefore appealing the decision in front of the Administrative review tribunal, following several promises made by the Gżira mayor, that he will fight against the development tooth and nail.
The appeal, which was signed by environmental lawyer Claire Bonello, asked the tribunal to completely annul the revocation.
Within the appeal, the local council detailed how it has duly paid rent and maintained the garden since taking over its management back in 2000, stressing that it is one of the few open green spaces within the already busy locality.
The council also lamented the fact that it was not granted the opportunity to give its feedback on the future of the land, and it was also not given the right of first refusal. It also argued that the Lands Authority had not given an adequate reason for why this lease should be terminated.
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