Thousands of residents of Mqabba, Qrendi, and Safi have signed an online petition against plans to relocate a tarmac and concrete industrial plant to a location near a residential part of Mqabba, calling on the Planning Authority to turn down the development application.

Letters have also been sent to the Office of the Prime Minister calling for Robert Abela’s intervention to stop the project, and residents have announced a peaceful protest in Qrendi’s main square on Sunday.

Through the online petition, residents insist that the plants, owned by construction magnate Carmelo Penza, should not be relocated from Hal-Far, and another suitable location should be found.

Petitioners say that establishing these plants, which are high emitters of pollution, will cause environmental damage and disturb the residential area that they live in.

Penza, through BIP Ltd, controlled by Sandra Axiak and Francesca Penza, his daughters, wants to relocate the plants to create space for a new business venture he plans to build on public land he was given through a government concession.

The government facilitated Penza’s plans through INDIS Malta – the agency responsible for industrial estates – which consented to turn public land reserved for manufacturing into a new storage and SME facility. Through this project, Penza stands to make money from privately leasing warehouses to third parties.

While the Planning Authority has recommended a decision favouring Penza’s project, public opposition remains strong.

Penza has very close connections to the Labour administration. Apart from building the Labour Party headquarters many years ago, he receives millions in direct orders and has done business with several key officials from the party.

A few days ago, The Shift revealed how he owes over €1 million in unpaid loans to HSBC despite his multi-million plans to enlarge his business empire.

His daughter, Sharon Penza, a director and beneficiary in many of her father’s companies, is the office coordinator of Prime Minister Robert Abela’s private secretariat at Castille. She was also appointed to an OPM entity, Engineering Resources Ltd.