Scrapyard to make way for new Lidl supermarket in Fgura

Discount supermarket chain Lidl, which has developed ODZ outlets in Safi and Luqa has managed to find 12,000 square metres of disturbed land within the development zone to build a new retail outlet in Fgura.

The land, presently occupied by a licensed scrapyard, was added to development boundaries in the infamous 2006 extension of building boundaries.

The land had been previously identified for residential development in a planning application presented by Disma and Lawrence Attard in 2003, but the application was later withdrawn.

Lidl is now registered as the sole owner of this considerable brownfield site.

The local plan approved in 2006 states that MEPA will encourage the removal of the licensed scrapyard in Triq id-Dejma by allowing “retail and residential development” in the area.

According to the local plan, development of this site should include recreational facilities in the form of public urban open spaces, social and community facilities as well as “residential and commercial/retail development”. Development proposals will include the provision of a road linking Triq id-Dejma.  The development proposed by Lidl includes a child play area and a car park.

Lidl has already opened two ODZ stores, in Luqa and Safi, both approved before the 2008 general elections. Other Lidl stores are in Santa Venera, San Gwann,Zejtun, and Qormi and in Xewkija, a small part of which is also outside the development zones. 

Lidl had also applied to build ODZ stores in Mosta and Zabbar but both applications were rejected. The chain has two pending applications for new supermarkets, one on ODZ land besides the Birkirkara bypass and another at the Fort Blocks industrial complex in Mosta

The chain has recently applied for an ODZ supermarket along Triq Dun Karm in Birkirkara and on the site of the former Fort Blocks construction plant in Mosta.