The quality of life of residents buldozed in the Planning Authority – FAA
Together for a Better Environment (FAA) said Saturday it is supporting Balzan residents in the campaign to preserve the health, quality of life and character of the Balzan residents ’village, all threatened by proposed development to build a complex of shops, 90 apartments and garages on the Dolphin. Center site.
At a Planning Authority marathon hearing, the engineers ’report was shown to be far from comprehensive, failing to provide for the long-standing issue of storm flooding in the area, she said. -NGO in a statement. Similarly, no screening of services at the roof level was mentioned, no indication of the supply of air conditioning requirements for commercial buildings, nor any studies on the noise it generates.
The FAA said it welcomed the fact that the Commission was accepting the objectors’ points about the proper provision of the transition height, in particular the obstacles bordering the villa area, and issues. of privacy as the proposed block will include windows facing directly to surrounding private gardens. and rear windows.
The Commission also noted that the development exceeded the legal threshold of 30m development fund from the road.
The Commission also agreed with residents on the lack of loading and unloading facilities for the commercial area of more than 2,000 square meters which will lead to trucks unloading on the road, further obstructing traffic in roads that are often blocked due to nearby school. The FAA argues that the Traffic Study is fundamentally flawed as the traffic count was taken at the close of mid-August when traffic is at its lowest rate.
Above all, the FAA and residents protested the fact that the ERA concluded that this large project in the heart of an old village does not require an Environment Impact Assessment. A doctor present deplored the lack of medical studies showing how increased traffic congestion and building congestion will affect residents ’health, saying it should be a top priority for residents. PA assessment of each project.
In the midst of all this, as the Chairperson of the Planning Authority Commission began to point out the most necessary studies, the developer interceded, and suddenly called for the cessation of proceedings. As this block is known to be a project of Joseph Portelli, this arbitrary and very irregular suspension before the decision is taken has extensive implications for the outcome of the case.
The FAA also deplores the fact that when discussing possible monitoring for abuse by the Building and Construction Authority, Joseph Portelli’s architect, Architect Marisa Schembri Grima, never stated that she was -Chairman of this Authority, conflict of great interest. As the FAA’s Astrid Vella pointed out, it is highly unlikely that the BCA will penalize its own Chairman’s project.
Despite the balanced approach of the PA Board to this project, the hearing showed that the planning process remains a circle surrounded by irregularities, conflicts of interest and strong actors who overcome the quality of the lives of residents, which should be the PA’s first priority.