MEPA APPEALS REVIEW TRIBUNAL’S DECISION ON FIREWORK FACTORY IN GHARB GOZO

A decision taken by the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal some weeks ago requesting Mepa to re-issue a 2006 planning permit for the reconstruction of a firework factory in Gharb, Gozo is being appealed against by the Authority in the Appeals Court.

The Tribunal while having ruled that Mepa should remove a permit condition which stipulates that the applicant shall insure the chapel of San Dimitri, at his own expense, against the eventuality of damage due to explosion of his fireworks factory, it also pointed out that the entire permit gets re-issued, giving it a further 5 year expiry period.   

The Authority is not appealing the decision taken by the Tribunal with regards to the removal of one of the permit conditions but is contesting the re-issuing of the planning permit afresh. 

Recently the Authority informed the applicant, through a screening letter that the renewal for the reconstruct fireworks factory is unacceptable in principle since the Gozo and Comino Local Plan Policy GZ-CMRC-13 stipulates that there is a general presumption against the construction of new fireworks factories in an Area of High Landscape Sensitivity.