A planning control (PC 38/20) application that was proposing to re-zone agricultural land in Gharb for a new road and residential development, has been termed as a “non-starter” by the Executive Council of the Planning Authority.

The site, which has an approximate area of 7880m 2, is in an ODZ area of Gharb and consists of several agricultural fields abutting the back parts of properties situated along Triq Mongur and Triq Birbuba.

The Council cited that Article 54 (2) of the Development Planning Act (2016) precludes the change in zoning of sites located Outside Development zone.

It said that “as a result, PC38/20 was refused since it attempts to designate zoning of a site that lies in an ODZ area and therefore cannot be considered to constitute a minor modification as it does not satisfy the criteria established by law.”

The PA’s Executive Council also confirmed the protection status of a residential rural property it had scheduled in 2019. The property which falls on the outskirts of Naxxar was scheduled as a Grade 2 protected building.

The property was scheduled in collaboration with the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage.

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