eNGO calls for study to determine need for old people’s homes

The authorities should conduct a national study to assess the social need for new old people's homes and to identify clearly brownfield sites within the development zone which could be used for this purpose, Front Harsien ODZ said in a statement on Monday.

The eNGO said it objected to the development of an ODZ old people’s home in Birgu, overlooking the scheduled Tal-Hawli valley and called on government to incorporate the valley and its buffer zone, which – it said – is an important green lung for Cottonera in the public domain.

“The application proposed by St Paul Residential Homes Limited is being proposed on an ODZ area overlooking the scheduled parts of the Tal-Hawli valley in the vicinity of the Vittoriosa primary school,” the front said.

It called on the Birgu council to oppose the development and to be pro-active in proposing other sites which could be used as old people's homes in the Cottonera area.

It also noted that other ODZ homes have been proposed in Naxxar and Santa Lucija and that, in those cases, developers had been asked to consider alternative sites to conform with the SPED, which only allowed the development of residential homes in the ODZ if no feasible alternatives existed within the development zone.

“The current system through which private developers are asked to conduct site selection studies after applying on a particular site, only to come back saying that these sites are not feasible, is ridiculous,” the front said.

“It would be preferable for the government ta take the initiative and carry out a national study to identify already existing buildings within the development zone, where such development could be carried out, and only following studies assessing the real need for old people's homes, preferably located within local communities where old people can still form part of these communities.”