Planning Authority closes off a number of illegal development cases in ODZ areas

A number of illegal development cases carried out in ODZ areas in Malta and Gozo have been closed off during the past weeks. This, after officers working within the Planning Authority’s Compliance & Enforcement Directorate intervened and put pressure on the contraveners to remove the illegal development or face further action.

In Malta, four ODZ sites, in Triq il-Wardija, San Pawl il-Baħar, in Sqaq Taċ-Ċawla and Triq il-Ġarġir, limits of Rabat (Malta), and a corner site in Triq ix-Xgħajra/Triq Agatha Barbara in Żabbar were being used for the illegal dumping of scrapped vehicles, containers, construction waste, and the storing trucks and boats without the necessary permissions. These were all removed, and the sites were reinstated to their original use.

Similarly, in Gozo, an agricultural site off Triq Borġ Għarib, limits of Għajnsielem, which was illegally being used for the parking of commercial vehicles, was cleared out.

BEFORE: Site in Triq il-Mellieha, Mellieha

AFTER: Site in Triq il-Mellieha, Mellieha

Several rooms and structures at a multitude of sites, in Malta and Gozo, which were built without development permission on arable land were demolished by the respective contraveners and the sites are now being used again for agricultural purposes. These rooms were located at a site off Triq il-Mellieħa, Mellieħa, in Triq ta’ Ħal Farruġ, Luqa; in Triq id-Deheb Fin, limits of Qormi, and in an area known as Tax-Xieref in Għaxaq. In Gozo, the sites were in Triq ta’ Ħamet and Triq il-Kav. Lorenzo Zammit Haber, Xewkija, and in Triq Ġużeppi Grech in Xagħra.

Compliance & enforcement officers also obliged a contravener who built, in an unconventional manner, a lengthy stretch of rubble wall along the countryside in the outskirts of Għajnsielem, to dismantle the wall and reconstruct the ħajt tas-sejjieħ using the traditional methodology.

During 2020, the Compliance & Enforcement Directorate received 3,313 complaints from various sources, alleging illegal development. Following the necessary investigations, in 55% of the cases, the Authority found that illegal development was being carried out.

The Directorate was compelled to issue 145 enforcement notices resulting from these complaints received, whilst in 45% of the cases the contraveners themselves complied or removed the illegalities, before further action being taken.