Luqa’s ‘runway-hazard’ Lidl now also wants children’s playing field

The Lidl supermarket in Luqa, approved in 2007 outside development zones against the advice of the Civil Aviation Department, now wants to erect a children’s playing field and shading devices in the adjacent car park.

It is being proposed that the shading devices be equipped with photovoltaic panels.

Both the Civil Aviation Department and Malta International Airport had objected to the MEPA permit being issued back in 2007 due to its proximity to the airport runway.

Signs in the car park erected after the permit was issued, still advise the general public that the site is located “within the direct path of low flying aircraft” and therefore exposed to health and safety risks… “particularly in the event of an aircraft accident”.

Legal Notice 80 of 2004 provides that when low flying aircraft, at or near an aerodrome, are likely to be hazardous to people or vehicular traffic, the aerodrome operator is obliged to post hazard warning notices on any public way that is adjacent to the manoeuvring area. 

A report by former MEPA auditor Joe Falzon confirmed that the permit for the supermarket was approved by MEPA despite the objections filed by the Civil Aviation Department and the Malta International Airport, because the supermarket was located within 250m of runway 24, and its height was 2.5m higher than the runway approach protection surface.

The permit was even approved despite a previous refusal for a car hire firm to build a garage, because the site is within the public safety zone on the approach to runway 24.

In October 2014 the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s environment planning commission ignored the advice of its own case officer in approving a new playing ground next to the Lidl supermarket in Xewkija, for use by Lidl customers.