Will Wied Għomor be gobbled up by development?

The future of Wied Għomor will be determined this week when a planning tribunal decides whether to reject an application for a proposed old people’s home there or “open the floodgates” to development in what is left of this green and peaceful valley. The valley is a green lung which stretches from St Julian’s to San Ġwann through Swieqi and the project is for a 133-room residence to be sited in a quarry, bang in the middle of it. Residents fear approval will create a precedent and, with several other development applications in the pipeline, allow the valley to be transformed into yet another urban zone.  The fate of the application is in the hands of the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, which will meet on Thursday, as residents, the councils of the three localities and a number of NGOs including Din l-Art Ħelwa and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar come together to oppose the project. Amid a public outcry, the application was unanimously rejected by the Planning Authority in May 2016 but the applicant filed an appeal, to be heard by the tribunal. The proposal is for two floors above ground and another two underground. The residence would also include a gym, restaurant, hall...