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Plans To Build Warehouse Complex On Luqa ODZ Farm Recommended For Refusal

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Plans to demolish a farm outside the development zone in Luqa’s Wied il-Kbir and replace it with a warehouse complex have been recommended for refusal by a Planning Authority case officer.

The board will meet to decide the fate of the application on 5th June 2020.

The farm in Ħal Farruġ lies right across the road from the St Vincent de Paul home for the elderly and a small residential community. The site falls within the valley system of the area that is protected under various planning policies.

The development would eat up roughly 13,000 square metres of agricultural land in the area; that’s nearly the size of two football pitches.

The PA case officer said that the project failed to provide any environmental benefit for the area, despite its promises to include a solar farm. Meanwhile, the case officer also refused the project because of a lack of submissions in the applications meant he could not determine the building’s height, visual impact, or impact on surrounding infrastructure.

Residents of the area have long been opposed to the development, who feel that the development is simply incompatible with the surrounding environment and would negatively impact the protected valley.

The PA has prohibited residents from opening even small shops in the area in the past.

Residents who spoke to Lovin Malta said they were pleased with the PA case officer’s decision but were still worried that the PA board could ignore the recommendations, as has been done in the past.

What do you think about the plans? Comment below

 

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Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.

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