The government’s decision to change the rules to accommodate the Tal-Franċiż project became blatantly obvious when the Planning Authority issued the document initiating the Local Plan review for Villa Rosa earlier this week.
While the Planning Authority has stated that the review will be “limited specifically to the Villa Rosa site as delineated by the 2006 Local Plan,” the document, in reality, covers an additional area beyond what is defined as Villa Rosa in the 2006 Local Plan. This additional area coincides with the site covered by PA/07254/22 — the Tal-Franċiż application, which seeks to build three towers, ranging from 27 to 34 floors, effectively burying St. George’s Bay, engulfing the historic Villa Rosa building, and consuming the only open space left between St. Julian’s and Pembroke.
If any further evidence were needed, this clearly shows that the government simply wants to satisfy developers’ greed, going so far as to change the laws to accommodate a specific project. The Prime Minister’s claims of a “public consultation” are thus a barefaced lie, as the intent of the whole process is simply and shamelessly to approve the Tal-Franċiż project. It is surely no coincidence that the site covered by the consultation process is precisely the site proposed for the Tal-Franċiż project.
While the developer’s declaration welcoming the review of the Local Plan surprises no one, his statements about “reducing” the height of the project are an insult to the public’s intelligence. The developer first submitted an application that went well beyond the limits established by the Local Plan, then pressured the government to change the plan to align with this monstrous project, and is now offering vague statements about “height” that, however, make no mention of “volume.”
People should be protected against such monstrosities by clear rules that safeguard their well-being and quality of life. They should not have to rely on the fake benevolence of construction magnates and their vague promises of slightly mitigating the massive injustices to be inflicted on them.
Objections to the Local Plan changes are to be sent to villarosa.consultation@pa.org.mt. On Saturday 26th October at 10:30am we shall be meeting in St. George’s Bay to voice our opposition to the Villa Rosa monstrosity.
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Id-Diskrepanza fil-Konsultazzjoni tal-PA Tikxef il-Vera Intenzjoni tal-Gvern rigward Villa Rosa
Id-deċiżjoni tal-Gvern li jbiddel ir-regoli biex jakkomoda l-proġett ta’ Tal-Franċiż ħarġet b’mod ovvju meta l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar ippublikat iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa d-dokument biex tinbeda r-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali għal Villa Rosa.
Filwaqt li l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar qalet li r-reviżjoni se tkun “limitata speċifikament għas-sit ta’ Villa Rosa kif inhu ddemarkat fil-Pjan Lokali tal-2006,” id-dokument, fil-verità, ikopri żona addizzjonali lil hinn mis-sit definit bħala Villa Rosa fil-Pjan Lokali tal-2006. Din iż-żona addizzjonali tikkoinċidi mas-sit kopert minn PA/07254/22 — jiġifieri, l-applikazzjoni ta’ Tal-Franċiż, li jrid jibni tliet torrijiet ta’ bejn 27-34 sular, u li se jkunu effettivament qed jordmu l-Bajja ta’ San Ġorġ, jibilgħu l-binja storika ta’ Villa Rosa, u jaħtfu l-unika spazju miftuħ li fadal bejn San Ġiljan u Pembroke.
Jekk hemm bżonn ta’ aktar evidenza, dan kollu juri biċ-ċar li l-Gvern sempliċiment irid jissodisfa r-regħba tal-iżviluppatur, sal-punt li qed ibiddel il-liġijiet biex jakkomoda proġett speċifiku. L-istqarrijiet tal-Prim Ministru li se ssir “konsultazzjoni pubblika” huma għalhekk gidba sfaċċata, għax il-ħsieb wara l-proċess kollu huwa sempliċiment li jiġi approvat il-proġett ta’ Tal-Franċiż bla ebda mistħija. Żgur li mhix koinċidenza li s-sit kopert mill-proċess tal-konsultazzjoni huwa preċiżament is-sit li qed jiġi propost għall-iżvilupp minn Tal-Franċiż.
Filwaqt li l-istqarrija tal-iżviluppatur li jilqa’ r-reviżjoni tal-Pjan Lokali ma kienet sorpriża għal ħadd, id-dikjarazzjonijiet tiegħu dwar li se “jnaqqas” l-għoli tal-proġett huma insult għall-intelliġenza tal-poplu. L-iżviluppatur l-ewwel issottometta applikazzjoni li qabżet sew il-limiti stabbiliti mill-Pjan Lokali, imbagħad għamel pressjoni fuq il-Gvern biex ibiddel il-pjan sabiex jallinjah ma’ dan il-proġett mostruż. Issa, qed jippreżenta stqarrijiet vagi dwar l-għoli tal-proġett, mingħajr, iżda, ma jsemmi xejn dwar il-volum.
In-nies għandhom jiġu mħarsa minn dawn it-tip ta’ mostrożitajiet permezz ta’ regoli ċari li jissalvagwardjaw il-benesseri u l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħhom. M’għandhomx għalfejn jiddependu mill-benevolenza falza tal-kbarat tal-kostruzzjoni u mill-wegħdiet vagi tagħhom li se jtaffu xi ftit mill-inġustizzji li l-poplu qed jiġi mġiegħel iġarrab.
L-oġġezzjonijiet għat-tibdil fil-Pjan Lokali jridu jintbagħtu fuq villarosa.consultation@pa.org.mt. Is-Sibt 26 t’Ottubru fl-10:30 se niltaqgħu l-Bajja ta’ Ġorġ sabiex nesprimu l-oppożizzjoni tagħna għall-mostru f’Villa Rosa.
