Lidl gets play area, outside development zone

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s environment planning commission has ignored the advice of its own case officer in approving a new playing ground next to the Lidl supermarket in Xewkija, for use by Lidl customers.

The permit was only approved on Wednesday through the casting vote of board chairperson Elizabeth Ellul after a tie.

The main attraction of the new development is a 3.8-metre high wooden playhouse located at the centre of a paved playground.

The case officer had made it clear that the development could not be approved because the facility was located in an ODZ urban conservation area and will lead to the take up of more land.

The case officer also recalled that when approving the Xewkija supermarket MEPA was very careful in avoiding any encroachment on ODZ.

The case officer insisted that the supermarket was only approved because it was restricted to the development zone. 

“Thus the current proposal goes beyond the principle which had a main bearing in granting the permit for the supermarket,” the case officer argued in his report.

The justification given by the board to ignore the case officer’s recommendation was that the structure will be reversible and although developed the area shall remain open with no building on it.

The supermarket at the back of an existing petrol station on Mgarr Road was approved by MEPA in February 2013.

Environmentalists had objected to the development because originally 30% of the site lay outside the development scheme.

Subsequently the supermarket and the car park were located within development zones.

A retail impact assessment anticipated a €1.81 million diversion in trade from convenience stores selling foodstuffs in Victoria, and another €3.17 million diversion from convenience stores elsewhere in Gozo.