Lidl development in Luqa ‘not in public interest’

Lidl was proposing a galvanised steel shading device on the existing carpark equipped with solar panels and an outdoor children play area. The proposed development was rejected on Friday.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has heeded the objections of Transport Malta and has deemed the proposed development next to a Lidl supermarket in Luqa as not being “in the public interest”. 

Lidl was proposing a galvanised steel shading device on the existing carpark equipped with solar panels and an outdoor children play area. The proposed development was rejected on Friday.

Although the development itself was not objectionable as it was located within the commercial site’s grounds, the case officer pointed out that Transport Malta had strongly objected in view of the location of the development in the approach path of Runway 23, which has been designated as a Public Safety Zone.

The public safety zone is meant to protect third parties outside the confines of the airport from potential catastrophic aircraft incidents.

“The development site is located within the critical public safety zone, which is considered to carry notable risk,” the report calling for a refusal said.

The supermarket itself was approved by MEPA in 2007, against the advice of both the Civil Aviation Directorate and the Malta International Airport, which both had objected because of the proximity of the development to the runway.

In its letter against the planned playing field, Transport Malta had recalled that it had “strongly objected” to the development of the supermarket in 2007 and pointed out it is objecting to the latest application “for the same reasons”.

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 authorities and the Malta International Airport, because the supermarket was located within 250m of runway 23, 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 23.