The Planning Authority has yet to complete enforcement action on almost 700 illegal developments, new data for the last five years tabled in parliament on Tuesday reveals, once again raising concerns on a lack of action against an illegality free-for-all.
The illegal developments listed are a subset of all enforcement cases which legally allow the authority to take direct action. Planning Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi listed them in response to a parliamentary question by opposition MP Stanley Zammit.
Zammit tabled a parliamentary question asking for a list of all cases since 2018 where the Planning Authority identified an illegal development but that the authority is still “taking action on or considering to do so”, as per Article 100 of the Development Planning Act.
Zrinzo Azzopardi’s response laid bare a total of 695 illegal developments against which enforcement action has not been completed despite open cases.
All the listed cases had surpassed the time limits stated in their enforcement notices, which call for their removal.
Following the expiration of a time limit in an enforcement notice, the Act allows the authority to take direct action “without any other formalities required by any other law,” including disabling or removing equipment and carrying out any works to comply with the enforcement notice.
Despite this, no direct action was taken in these cases.
Examples of the illegalities include the illegal dumping of scrap vehicles, unpermitted alterations to buildings, construction of unpermitted agricultural rooms, illegal extensions to quarries and the unpermitted construction of whole residential buildings.
The illegalities also include dozens of encroachment cases by restaurants which install semi-permanent structures on public land, illegally extending the size of their establishments.
The sheer number of cases, the lack of action, the seriousness of the violations, and the passing of legal deadlines raise concerns about the authority’s lack of action when dealing with illegal developments.
The Executive Council and the Planning Board form the authority’s two main branches. The council comprises six members, including representatives from the Planning Board and the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA). Ostensibly, it is a centralised point for processing development applications and enforcement.
The council is currently headed by Planning Authority Executive Chairman Oliver Magro, with Dr Emanuel Camilleri, Mr Martin Camilleri, Prof. Saviour Formosa, Dr Stephanie Abela, Ms Carmen Buttigieg and ERA CEO Kevin Mercieca as its members.
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WOW, what a surprise! Just another day in Mafialand.
The board swore loyalty to the Laws of Malta , not the Minister.
The board members will be found guilty of betraying the oath which they took. I expect that court action is taken against all board members of all boards who instead of being loyal the oath they took obeyed ministers orders . JUSTICE MUST BE MADE PUBLICLY.
“The institutions are working” exactly as planned by the MLP cabal. Too understaffed to do their job properly, even if willing, and mostly unwilling (if they know what’s good for them). That’s how you turn a democratic nation into an organised crime enterprise. Muscat and his mob could hold seninars on the subject in the Balkans, the Caribbean, and in many parts of Asia and Africa: How to Capture the State Treasury and Have the Sheep Applaud You for Doing So.
Everything this Minister touches turns to dust. In part, thanks to his sheer incompetence but most of all because of his illicit way of doing things. Let us not forget that this chap is the champion of breaching Data Protection and for now the company owned by his family members have a negative record in hand – the most hefty fine issued by the Data Protection Commissioner.
taf tisthi zrinzo. Another good for nothing troll – sorry just good to spy on the people.