Relative of consultant to get ODZ villa to replace garage

A permit has been approved for the construction of a new house on fertile agricultural land in an Outside Development Zone in Siġġiewi, issued in the name of a relative of a consultant to the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture. A 25 square metre garage on the land is to be demolished and according to the permit this will create a driveway leading up to a 280 sq m house on agricultural fields. The application was submitted in the name of Roderick Farrugia, who is the son-in-law of the consultant, Albert (known as Bertu) Pace, a former Labour MP. The architect in the application was Labour MP Charles Buhagiar, who is the executive chairman of the Building Industry Consultative Council. Mr Pace was appointed adviser to Agriculture Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes soon after the Labour Party came to power. The new development on ODZ land will occur in an area known as Ta’ Sant Andrija – planning policies identify it as an area of agricultural value. Mepa said house would replace ‘permitted farm’ The permit was approved despite objections from the Natural Heritage Advisory committee and the environmental committee. However, Mepa justified it on the grounds that the new...