Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar said it is pleased to note the EU’s appreciation of the ecological importance of Ta’ Cenc, adding to the local chorus asking for further protection of substantial areas of this locality. It would be shameful indeed if the same government, which has so recently professed making environment a priority during the last election campaign, were to be taken to court by the EU Commission for not doing the minimum required by Europe to protect such an important international natural habitat.

While urging full compliance with the Natura 2000 network, FAA calls for more awareness of the EU Aquis with regards to human health. MEPA refuses to consider population density, air quality and public transport as significant criteria in the assessment of planning applications particularly in already crowded communities. Because of this, residents all over the islands stand to suffer various ailments from increased air pollution due to the amount of traffic which mega-projects will attract.

FAA added that it would like to see the necessary public health studies carried out in line with our EU obligations before decisions impacting people’s health are taken.

The recent case involving the granting of a permit to a large-scale pig-farm to be built between Maghtab and Salina next to residences clearly highlights MEPA’s lack of regulations to protect residents’ health. Applying veterinary regulations which stipulate a distance of 100m between pig farms has pushed the farm to within 20m of the residences! It is unacceptable for MEPA authorities to justify such a permit by saying that, ‘regulations have been followed’. If local regulations are inadequate, damaging cases should be deferred until the necessary protective regulations are introduced. In this case MEPA has been very selective in the regulations it has applied, choosing to overlook its latest Agriculture, Farm Diversification and Stables - Policy and Design Guidelines” which clearly state that : “POLICY 1.3B: AMENITY In considering applications for development permission, the Authority will seek to protect the amenity of the surrounding areas, particularly any nearby dwellings and/or public open space. MEPA will not permit proposed development which, in its opinion, would cause an unacceptable conflict with adjacent legitimate activities.”

3 POLICY 2.3C: NEW OR RELOCATED LIVESTOCK FARMS: (4) the proposed development is not to be located within: (b) a distance of 183 metres from an inhabited area or an area which is intended for residential, residential institutions, hotels, education, assembly or leisure buildings, or tourism development, as specified in the Animal Welfare Act (2002), or any subsequent amendment thereof;

The NGO said that this is a blatant case of highly questionable land planning, as the proposed building is being permitted to take up good, virgin land in a designated Intensive Arable Agricultural Area, affecting the productivity of neighbouring fields without even an Environment Impact Assessment. Moreover, the area is littered with abandoned animal farms which are being permitted to change their use to garage industries (carpenters, panel beaters, mechanics etc). FAA maintains that priority should be given to the re-use of such sites as animal farms, instead of sacrificing yet more virgin, arable land close to residents for such buildings.

Residents who have lived in the area for a number of years prior to relocation of a farm, should not be subjected to the potentially unsanitary conditions that could accompany such farming activity. These include odours from the obligatory cesspit and those released during pig sty washing, flies, rats and cockroaches and possible blockages of the sewerage system. Recent studies also indicate a respiratory health hazard due to the high presence of bacteria, endotoxins, antibiotic particles and allergens associated with these developments.

FAA said it regrets to see MEPA’s decision-taking as arbitrary as ever, with no effort at mediation or identification of alternative sites. In view of non-compliance to the above regulations, FAA calls for the rescinding of this permit and asks that until the application is re-examined, the government should not transfer the property to third parties for this purpose.

FAA also appeals to the Hon. Prime Minister, who is now the minister responsible for MEPA, and encourages him to reform such Authority as quickly as possible, so that the public can have more qualified decision takers and as a consequence just, transparent and accountable decisions from this authority.