Mqabba, Western Regional Councils up in arms on tarmac plant relocation

The Mqabba local council and the Western Regional Council have strongly condemned the relocation of a tarmac plant from Ħal Far to Mqabba, a day after residents from Qrendi, Mqabba, Żurrieq and Siġġiewi announced of a protest against the relocation.

During a press conference on Thursday, the Maqbba mayor and Western Regional Council president made their positions clear against a planning permit to relocate the tarmac plant from Ħal Far to an abandoned quarry in the area known as Xagħri l-Imqalleb.

The Planning Authority had a scheduled hearing on the permit for 14 November, but it was postponed.

Sandro Azzopardi, president of the Western Regional Council, said the council's environment manager has received a substantial number of calls for assistance. These reports concern residents' quality of life, localities' topography, and their natural environment.

Azzopardi stated that the regional council, and all the local councils of which it is composed, agreed unanimously to object to the tarmac plant's relocation.

"This case raises questions regarding the precedent it sets for the fate of other quarries that surround Mqabba," he said. Azzopardi said that with its limited resources, the regional council plans to do all it can to further its' localities' needs.

Meanwhile, Mqabba mayor Marie Grace Zerafa said that the local council will object to the tarmac plant's relocation. Zerafa noted that should the plant be relocated, it will be located less than 500 metres away from residents.

"Mqabba has long suffered from dust coming from the surrounding quarries, and we always believed that this problem would be solved over time," she said.

Zerafa stressed that Mqabba deserves a breath of fresh air after being exposed to numerous quarries and plants for decades.

The mayor explained that the local council sent a letter to the Planning Authority's executive chairman, stating that the council will use all its resources to object to the application.

Zerafa thanked the regional council and all other neighbouring localities who supported Mqabba's stance.