The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has appointed an internal board of inquiry to investigate the permit for the construction of Lidl supermarket in Luqa, which was deemed “completely irregular” by audit officer Joe Falzon.
Replying to a question by Labour MP Leo Brincat, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said MEPA’s board of inquiry was set up in July 2009 and had to complete its work by October. Since the report was not completed the board was granted an extension for November.
The permit for the supermarket was approved by MEPA despite the objections filed by the Civil Aviation Department and the Malta International Airport, because the supermarket was located within 250 metres of runway 24, and its height was 2.5 metres higher than the runway approach protection surface.
The permit was even approved despite a previous refusal for a car-hire firm to build a garage, because the site lies inside the public safety zone on the approach to runway 24.
Audit officer Joe Falzon said he had concluded his report, which highlights discrepancies between the way MEPA treated applications presented by the previous owner of the site; and the way it treated an application by construction magnate Charles Polidano on the same plot of land.
“While in the case of the previous applicant the objections presented by the Civil Aviation Department led to its rejection, the same objections were dismissed simply because other developments exist in the area,” Falzon said.
He also noted that while previously the Director of Agriculture had objected to the development, this objection was dropped when Polidano applied for a car park on the same portion of land.
Despite the approval of the supermarket, people parking their cars at the Lidl supermarket’s car park in Luqa are met by a health risk sign, warning them that their health and safety is “highly at risk in the event of an accident involving low flying planes” which regularly pass over the supermarket because of the nearby airport.
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