Environment authority asks court to revoke Dwejra restaurant extension permit

The court is being asked by the Environment and Resources Authority to revoke a planning permit that will allow a restaurant in Dwejra to expand.

ERA filed the appeal after the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal last month upheld the restaurant owner’s appeal and allowed the extension to go ahead.

In its court application, ERA claimed that the tribunal failed to apply, or misinterpreted the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), which protects biodiversity, cultural heritage, geology and geomorphology, by safeguarding protected areas.

Dwejra is part of a Natura 2000 because of its ecological importance and enjoys the highest level of protection. The area is also a designated Dark Sky Heritage Area.

ERA believes the tribunal “failed to recognise the problems arising from the intensification and expansion of development at Dwejra”.

The authority said the decision communicated a “worrying” message to society.

The restaurant application was to increase the seating capacity, an extension ERA believes will result in more light and noise pollution in the area that are detrimental to wildlife.

“The tribunal focused on limiting light intensification, the fact that the canopy is limited in size and that it can be dismantled. In so doing, it disregarded the fact that the development will intensify the use of the area, contrary to the spirit of the decision taken previously, whereby the Planning Authority made it clear that it wanted to reduce the intensification of this development because of the impact on such a sensitive site,” ERA said.

Several NGOs had also raised money to lodge their own appeal against the tribunal decision.

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