Last Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela declared during a political activity that “Whatever land is under the government’s control… that land will only be used for the benefit of the community.” Whilst Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuħa, Marsaxlokk Heritage and Moviment Graffitti welcome the Prime Minister’s statements, they now expect the Government to take action that halts the processing of application PC/00022/23.

This application, submitted by developer Paul Attard, seeks to change the Local Plan so that it allows a staggering six blocks of apartments and offices, going up to eight storeys, on the former Enemalta gas storage facility in Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa.

Over two-thirds of the land covered by PC/00022/23 is owned either by the Government company Enemalta or the Lands Authority. Thus, the developer had to obtain the Government’s go-ahead prior to filing the application for this monstrous development. Such permission signals the public entities’ intention of eventually transferring this land to the developer for his private real estate project consisting in hundreds of apartments and commercial buildings.

Application PC/00022/23 represents a very serious threat to Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk since it would pave the way for a very intensive and obtrusive development, right next to the coast, and abutting ODZ land. 

The application has attracted hundreds of objections from residents and other concerned individuals. Moreover, in April, the residents’ organisations Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk Heritage wrote to Minister Miriam Dalli expressing their alarm on the Qajjenza situation. They stated that, after decades of inconvenience from the Enemalta operation on this site, it is unfair that residents have to now face the threat of such a monstrosity.

The residents’ organisations demanded that the site in question remains public and be utilized for the common good rather than private profits. No reply was given by Minister Dalli to their letter.

Qajjenza is the most congested area in Birżebbuġa. It is densely populated and severely lacks public spaces that are so essential to the residents’ health and wellbeing. The former Enemalta gas plant has great potential for a community-based project that can be enjoyed by everyone. On the other hand, should it be transformed into the massive development proposed by PC/00022/23, it will lead to a sharp drop in the quality of life and environment within the surrounding areas.

The Prime Minister’s declaration on Sunday, if followed through, would signify the end of such a harmful plan on Government-controlled land. We augur that the commitment taken by the Prime Minister is translated into tangible actions and that the public entities controlling the Qajjenza Enemalta site withdraw their permission for the processing of application PC/00022/23.

Organisations
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa
Marsaxlokk Heritage
Moviment Graffitti

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Il-permess sabiex issir l-applikazzjoni tal-Qajjenza għandu jiġi rtirat wara l-istqarrija tal-Prim Ministru tal-Ħadd li għadda

Il-Ħadd li għadda, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela waqt attività politika stqarr li “Kwalunkwe art li tinsab taħt il-kontroll tal-Gvern…dik l-art se tintuża biss għall-benefiċċju tal-komunità.” Filwaqt li Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa, Marsaxlokk Heritage u Moviment Graffitti jilqgħu l-istqarrija tal-Prim Ministru, issa jistennew li l-Gvern jieħu azzjoni sabiex iwaqqaf l-iproċessar tal-applikazzjoni PC/00022/23.

Din l-applikazzjoni, li ġiet sottomessa mill-iżviluppatur Paul Attard, trid tbiddel il-Pjan Lokali sabiex ikun permess il-bini ta’ sitt blokok ta’ appartamenti u uffiċċji, li jitilgħu sa 8 sulari, fuq is-sit fejn qabel kien hemm il-faċilità għall-ħażna tal-gass tal-Enemalta, fil-Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa.

Madwar żewġ terzi tal-art koperta minn PC/00022/23 hija fis-sjieda jew tal-kumpanija tal-Gvern, l-Enemalta, jew tal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet. Għalhekk, l-iżviluppatur kellu jikseb il-barka tal-Gvern qabel ma jissottometti l-applikazzjoni għal dan l-iżvilupp mostruż. Permess bħal dan juri l-intenzjoni tal-entitajiet pubbliċi li eventwalment jgħaddu din l-art għand l-iżviluppatur għall-proġett privat tiegħu li se jkun jikkonsisti f’mijiet ta’ appartamenti u binjiet kummerċjali.

L-applikazzjoni PC/00022/23 tirrappreżenta theddida serja ħafna għal Birżebbuġa u Marsaxlokk għax se tkun qed twitti t-triq għal żvilupp intensiv ħafna eżatt max-xatt u li jmiss ma’ art ODZ.

Mijiet ta’ residenti u individwi mħassba oġġezzjonaw għal din l-applikazzjoni. Barra minn hekk, f’April li għadda l-għaqdiet tar-residenti Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa u Marsaxlokk Heritage kitbu lill-Ministru Miriam Dalli biex jesprimu t-tħassib serju tagħhom dwar is-sitwazzjoni fil-Qajjenza. Huma stqarrew li wara għexieren ta’ snin ta’ inkonvenjent li ġarrbu sforz l-operat tal-Enemalta fuq is-sit, mhuwiex ġust li issa r-residenti jridu jaffaċċjaw it-theddida li jġib miegħu żvilupp mostruż bħal dan.

L-għaqdiet tar-residenti talbu li s-sit inkwistjoni għandu jibqa’ pubbliku u jintuża għall-ġid komuni, u mhux għall-profitti privati. Ma waslet l-ebda tweġiba għall-ittra tagħhom min-naħa tal-Ministru Dalli.

Il-Qajjenza hija l-aktar żona konġestjonata f’Birżebbuġa. Għandha popolazzjoni densa u hija nieqsa mill-ispazji pubbliċi li huma tant essenzjali għas-saħħa u l-benessri tar-residenti. Is-sit li qabel kien okkupat mill-impjant tal-gass tal-Enemalta għandu potenzjal kbir għal proġett għall-komunità li jista’ jitgawda minn kulħadd. Min-naħa l-oħra, jekk jiġi ttrasformat fl-iżvilupp massiv propost minn PC/00022/23, dan se jwassal għal degradazzjoni tal-kwalità tal-ħajja u l-ambjent fil-madwar.

L-istqarrija tal-Prim Ministru nhar il-Ħadd li għadda, jekk verament issir fis-seħħ, tkun tfisser li pjan daqstant ta’ ħsara għal din l-art ikkontrollata mill-Gvern għandu jitwaqqaf. Nawguraw li l-impenn tal-Prim Ministru jissarraf f’azzjonijiet tanġibbli u li l-entitajiet pubbliċi li jikkontrollaw is-sit tal-Enemalta fil-Qajjenza jirtiraw il-permess tagħhom għall-ipproċessar tal-applikazzjoni PC/00022/23.

Għaqdiet
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa
Marsaxlokk Heritage
Moviment Graffitti