23,000 Square Metre Qormi Farmland Set For Industrial Expansion Amid Environmental Concerns
Over 23,000 square metres of agricultural land in Tal-Ħandaq, Qormi is set to undergo a transformation as three planning applications propose the construction of warehouses and workshops. This potential development aligns with the local plans that gained approval back in 2006.
The Malta Developers Association president, Michael Stivala, has put forward the most extensive application, encompassing more than 15,500sq.m. The other two applications originate from Ray Formosa’s Colinrose Ltd and Darren Ciantar’s Ciantar C&F Limited.
The application outlines the excavation of two basement levels along with a reservoir, and the construction of two main floors plus receded ones.
Notably, while this area falls outside the development zone (ODZ), the Planning Authority has designated it as an area of containment. This classification permits its utilisation for industrial use
Interestingly, Stivala doesn’t claim ownership of the entire site. However, he has stated that he possesses the requisite authorization for the proposed development.
Both applications from Stivala and Ciantar were facilitated by architect and ex-environment minister George Pullicino. It is under Pullicino’s guidance that the 2006 local plans emerged. Notably, during a public consultation held in 2017, Pullicino represented two landowners of the site: Sandro Estates, owned by ex-MDA president Sandro Chetcuti, and the Tumas Group.
Areas of containment have received permissions for warehouses because such industrial activities don’t fit seamlessly with residential environments. The strategic location of the Ħandaq area, being in proximity to the Grand Harbour, further boosts its appeal for such undertakings.
The effects on the environment, however, are significant. Stivala informed the PA that rainfall runoff from the site will be gathered in reservoirs and prepared for reuse in order to allay these worries.
According to the Energy and Water Agency, losses from aquifer recharge should be compensated for by reusing rainfall. However, the organization stresses how crucial it is to prevent spills and contamination of this water.
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