Loophole allows fuel pumps outside building zones

The criteria for petrol stations sited outside development zones (ODZ) were relaxed following “meetings with individuals”, a spokesperson for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has confirmed.

MEPA created a new loophole for ODZ development by allowing brand new petrol stations spread over areas of up to 3,000m2 to be located “opposite or adjacent” to industrial areas, storage areas and “areas of containment” outside development zones.

Areas of containment are meant to create a transition between industrial or tourism areas and rural areas: in Malta there are 33 ODZ sites designated as areas of containment, such as parts of Bahar ic-Caghaq, the Hal Mann site in Lija, various parts of Mdina Road, St Leonard Street in Zabbar, Tal-Balal in San Gwann and part of Hal Farrug road.

Originally, only petrol stations being relocated from urban areas were allowed to apply in rural ODZ areas. Brand new petrol stations were to be limited to already developed industrial or storage areas.

This policy was meant to encourage petrol stations to move away from residential zones where they can pose a safety hazard.
But the new approved policy now also facilitates the development of brand new petrol stations in ODZ areas.

One of the petrol stations that would controversially benefit from this policy change is a 3,2002 petrol station in an area of agricultural value in Burmarrad, which also lies adjacent to an area of containment.

The development is being proposed by Turnkey House Ltd, a company owned by Joseph Attard of Paola.

A project development statement presented to MEPA states that the site is covered with “wild flowers and patches of wheat and cereal probably originating from seeds either left over from previous cultivation or transported by the wind from neighbouring fields.”

The Environment Protection Directorate is objecting to the development and the developers have been asked to prepare an environmental impact assessment.

The draft Fuel Stations Policy, which made no reference to development adjacent or opposite industrial areas, was issued for consultation in April 2014.

MEPA says the draft policy generated a number of submissions from the public. “Some of the submissions and a number of meetings with individuals suggested a widening of the opportunities for locating fuel stations,” a spokesperson said.

While written submissions are published by MEPA as required by law, no minutes of meetings with individuals are published.   
MEPA claims that in spite of the number of options given in the draft policy, experience indicated that it was difficult to locate fuel stations in the originally indicated areas.

“It was therefore felt that the original scope for location should be widened,” MEPA said, claiming that adding the sites near areas of containment and industrial and storage areas, will partially address the concerns of developers as well as limit petrol pumps to the immediate vicinity of industrial and commercial areas.

A number of environmental safeguards are also included in the policy, that take into account heritage protection, visual amenity, safety and planning policy as well as compatibility of use issues.

The petrol pump stations on these ODZ sites cannot be larger than 3,000m2 in footprint and no higher than 7m. “Thus a capping is set on the maximum size that such development can achieve.”

No such capping exists for fuel stations located within designated areas, such as areas of containment.