Gaffarena wants ODZ old people’s home in Birgu

Joseph Gaffarena, the father of Marco Gaffarena, has applied to construct a four-storey high old people’s home in an afforested area outside development zones in Birgu.

The development, which is being proposed over a 2,770 square metre site, would be located in the vicinity of the protected Tal-Hawli valley in Triq San Dwardu and Triq Guzeppi Decelis near the Fortini secondary school.

The application, which is still being screened by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority was presented by Prof. Mark Brincat on behalf of St Paul Residential Homes Limited, which is owned by Joseph Gaffarena.  

Labour MP Charles Buhagiar is listed as “project architect” in the plans submitted to MEPA. Buhagiar is government-appointed chairman of the Building Industry Consultative Council – the Valletta offices of which only recently belonged in part to Mark Gaffarena, and for whom a €1.65 million expropriation deal is now a matter of national controversy and NAO investigation.

The application was filed in September 2013 and Buhagiar submitted fresh plans to MEPA on 22 May 2015.

In 1992, MEPA had refused an application to erect garages and stores on the site presently earmarked for the development of the old people’s home.  

But in 1997 the authority issued a permit to Joseph Gaffarena’s son Marco, to erect a maisonette and a garage over a small part of the site.

A map included in the Grand Harbour Local Plan approved in 2002 designates the site as one of scientific and ecological importance: the area includes almond, carob and olive trees, prickly pears, peach and fig trees, vines, and trees of heaven and oleanders.

In the application the developers acknowledged that the development would result in the uprooting of a number of trees and the demolition or alteration of existing rubble walls.

The land in question is fully owned by Joseph Gaffarena.

MEPA is currently considering two ODZ applications for old people’s homes: Gaffarena’s land in Birgu and a four-storey home across 4,472 square metres of ODZ land along Luqa Road, in Santa Lucija. The architect of the Santa Lucija application is Robert Sarsero, a member of MEPA’s Environment and Planning Review Tribunal.