Organisations slam Government plans to allow model airstrip in Wied Żnuber

 

9 organisations strongly condemn the Government’s attempt to change the Ħal Far Local Plan so as to allow the construction of an airstrip for model aeroplanes in Wied Żnuber. The public can object to these plans by sending an email to halfar.review@pa.org.mt by the 24 July.

 

The proposed changes stems from a secret agreement made in February 2022 between three government agencies and the Ħal Far Model Flying Association, which allocated public land for an airstrip for model aeroplanes. This agreement was reached without consulting the Local Council, residents, or NGOs, undermining the integrity of the entire planning process.

 

The Birżebbuġa community and environmental organisations have since been expressing their strong opposition to this socially and environmentally harmful plan.

 

The Local Plan amendments, as outlined in the public consultation, will enable the building of a miniature airstrip in Wied Żnuber occupying 17,000 square meters. Such structure will not only gobble up natural land but also introduce constant noise and light pollution, impacting a much larger Natura 2000 site. This poses a threat to the local ecosystem, including a nearby shearwater colony that will face an existential risk if this plan goes through.

 

Model aeroplanes flying over a large area will also disrupt the serenity of the Wied Żnuber valley and degrade the quality of life of Birżebbuga residents and visitors.

 

During the first phase of the consultation, hundreds of objections from individuals and organisations were submitted, highlighting strong opposition to the proposal. Despite this, the Planning Authority has disregarded these objections without providing any justification.

 

Furthermore, the supposed protective measures introduced in this phase are wholly insufficient. Instead of extending the ODZ, as initially envisaged, the plan proposes an inadequate “Area to be Conserved and Restored” serving merely as a “buffer zone” to the Natura 2000 site.

 

The inclusion of “aero modelling” as a “Low Impact Sport” in the proposed amendments is particularly perplexing. This baseless categorization contradicts the reality of aero modelling’s invasive and polluting nature, highlighting the illegitimacy of the entire consultation process, which lacks any study on the environmental and community impacts of the proposed airstrip.

 

We strongly believe that governmental decisions should prioritize our environment and quality of life over private agreements. Thus, the organisations urge Government to retract the proposed amendments that would permit the construction of a model airstrip in Wied Żnuber. We call for the entire 39,800 square meters of the area to be designated as ODZ and to be given the robust environmental protection it needs.

 

Our environment deserves protection. Birżebbuġa residents deserve respect.

 

BirdLife Malta

Din l-Art Ħelwa

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Friends of the Earth Malta

Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa

Għawdix

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust Malta

Ramblers Association Malta

 

9 organizzazzjonijiet jikkundannaw bis-saħħa l-attentat tal-Gvern li jbiddel il-Pjan Lokali ta’ Ħal Far sabiex jippermetti l-bini ta’ airstrip għall-mudelli tal-ajruplani f’Wied Żnuber. Il-pubbliku jista’ joġġezzjona għal dawn il-pjanijiet billi jibgħat email fuq halfar.review@pa.org.mt sal-24 ta’ Lulju.

 

Il-bidliet proposti joriġinaw minn ftehim sigriet li sar fi Frar tal-2022 bejn tliet aġenziji tal-Gvern u l-Ħal Far Model Flying Association, li alloka art pubblika għal airstrip għall-mudelli tal-ajruplani. Dan il-ftehim intlaħaq mingħajr ma ġie kkonsultat il-Kunsill Lokali, ir-residenti jew l-NGOs, u dan jimmina l-integrità tal-proċess kollu tal-ippjanar.

 

Minn dakinhar, il-komunità ta’ Birżebbuġa u l-għaqdiet ambjentali ilhom jesprimu l-oppożizzjoni qawwija tagħhom għal dan il-pjan ta’ ħsara soċjali u ambjentali.

 

L-emendi tal-Pjan Lokali, kif spjegat fil-konsultazzjoni pubblika, se jippermettu l-bini ta’ airstrip minjatura f’Wied Żnuber li tokkupa 17,000 metru kwadru. Din l-istruttura mhux biss se teqred l-art naturali iżda se tintroduċi wkoll tniġġis kontinwu mill-istorbju u mid-dawl, b’impatt fuq sit tan-Natura 2000 li hu ferm akbar. Dan joħloq theddida għall-ekosistema lokali, inkluż kolonja ta’ Ċief u Garni fil-qrib li se taffaċċja riskju eżistenzjali jekk dan il-pjan jgħaddi.

 

Mudelli ta’ ajruplani li jtiru fuq żona kbira se jfixklu wkoll is-serenità ta’ Wied Żnuber u jnaqqsu l-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti u l-viżitaturi f’Birżebbuġa.

 

Matul l-ewwel fażi tal-konsultazzjoni, ġew sottomessi mijiet ta’ oġġezzjonijiet minn individwi u organizzazzjonijiet. Dan jixhed oppożizzjoni qawwija għall-proposta. Minkejja dan, l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar injorat dawn l-oġġezzjonijiet mingħajr ma tat ebda ġustifikazzjoni.

 

Barra minn hekk, il-miżuri suppost protettivi li ġew introdotti f’din il-fażi huma insuffiċjenti għall-aħħar. Minflok ma jestendi l-ODZ, kif kien previst inizjalment, il-pjan jipproponi “żona li jeħtieġ tiġi kkonservata u rrestawrata” u li sservi sempliċement bħala “żona ta’ lqugħ” għas-sit Natura 2000.

 

L-inklużjoni tat-titjir tal-mudelli tal-ajruplani bħala “sport ta’ impatt baxx” fl-emendi proposti hija partikolarment tat-tħassib. Din il-kategorizzazzjoni bla bażi tikkontradixxi r-realtà tat-titjir tal-mudelli tal-ajruplani, li hu invażiv u li jniġġes, u turi l-illeġittimità tal-proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni, li hu nieqes minn kull studju dwar l-impatti ambjentali u komunitarji tal-airstrip proposta.

 

Nemmnu bis-sħiħ li d-deċiżjonijiet tal-Gvern għandhom jagħtu prijorità lill-ambjent u lill-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna u mhux lill-interessi privati. Għalhekk, l-għaqdiet qed iħeġġu lill-Gvern biex jirtira l-emendi proposti li jippermettu l-bini ta’ airstrip għall-mudelli tal-ajruplani f’Wied Żnuber. Nappellaw biex it-39,800 metru kwadru taż-żona jitqiesu kollha bħala ODZ u jingħataw il-ħarsien ambjentali li jeħtieġu.

 

L-ambjent tagħna ħaqqu l-protezzjoni. Ir-residenti ta’ Birżebbuġa ħaqqhom ir-rispett.

 

BirdLife Malta

Din l-Art Ħelwa

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Friends of the Earth Malta

Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa

Għawdix

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust Malta

Ramblers Association Malta