PA set to refuse Marsaxlokk tourism project at il-Ballut

A Planning Authority case officer is recommending refusal of a proposal to demolish two disused livestock farms in Marsaxlokk and replace them with tourist accommodation.

The proposed project, which includes the construction of seven buildings and ancillary facilities, is in a highly sensitive rural and environmental area.

The application (PA/03071/22) concerns St Mary’s Farm in Triq il-Power Station, in an area known as il-Ballut. The 29,400sq.m site lies outside the development zone and within a scheduled Area of Ecological Importance, a bird sanctuary and the Il-Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk Natura 2000 site.

The proposal by AMJ Invest Ltd, represented by Michael Fenech, involves demolishing the existing pig and sheep farms and constructing Class 3A tourism accommodation in seven low-rise structures, together with ancillary facilities, paved areas and a swimming pool.

The application was submitted in April 2022 and is now due to be considered by the Planning Board on 29 October.

In his report, the case officer says the proposal would effectively commit around 8,300sq.m of land to the new development, compared with a footprint of around 1,220sq,m for the existing farm structures.

The Environment and Resources Authority strongly objected, saying the development would result in a significant uptake of undeveloped rural land and urbanisation within the protected area surrounding the Il-Magħluq marshland.

ERA also warned of longer-term cumulative impacts, arguing that approving such developments on a case-by-case basis could create additional pressure for similar development on nearby land. It concluded that the proposal was objectionable from an environmental perspective and could not be favourably considered under the Appropriate Assessment process.

The case officer also found that essential information had not been submitted by the applicant. This included proof of the legal status of the existing structures, floor-space calculations and an internal photographic survey needed to establish whether older buildings on the site have architectural, historical or vernacular significance.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had also requested a site inspection and noted that the property lies within the line of sight of the Tas-Silġ Fort.

The report says the proposal would remove a legitimate rural use to introduce a commercial tourism activity in a sensitive ODZ setting. It concludes that the project conflicts with policies protecting agricultural land, the Delimara Peninsula and protected environmental areas.

The case officer noted that the applicant had requested suspension of the application to address outstanding issues, but the maximum suspension period had elapsed, together with a further 22 months, leaving the Directorate with no option but to refer the application for a decision on the available information.

The recommendation to refuse permission is based on five reasons, including inadequate documentation, incompatibility with ODZ redevelopment policies, loss of agricultural land, harm to the traditional rural landscape and unacceptable impacts on the protected environmental setting.