Aqra bil-Malti
The Planning Authority is evaluating the possibility of sanctioning two of a row of illegally built penthouses in Sannat, Gozo, built by developer Joseph Portelli and his associates Mark Agius, known as Ta’ Dirjanu, and Daniel Refalo.
The Shift can reveal that barely two months after Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti struck down a permit issued to Portelli illegally, an Indian citizen suddenly applied to have two of the illegal penthouses sanctioned.
Through the services of one of Joseph Portelli’s architects, Saviour Micallef, Indian national Tarlochan Singh filed an application (PA03869/24) “to sanction two penthouses” at the block of apartments built by Portelli in Sannat. Singh declared that he did not own the penthouses.
The application filed with the Planning Authority to sanction illegally built penthouses.
The development had faced objections from NGOs and residents. The issue of a permit to Singh to sanction the penthouses would be illegal following the Court’s ruling.
Last March, following some three years of appeals, Malta’s highest court revoked the permit (PA2035/21) with which Portelli’s clan built a four-storey block of apartments in Sannat, complete with a communal pool.
Since the developers had taken advantage of the appeals timeline, permitted by the law and the government, and finished their development before the final decision was given, the Court declared that the top floor of the already built block, consisting of the penthouses, as well as the communal swimming pool, were illegal.
The Court decision cannot be appealed and is final.
Since the penthouses are illegal, they cannot be used, sold, or rented out and should be removed by the developers. The same applies to the communal pool.
The Shift is informed that despite the Court’s final decision, the Planning Authority has not yet issued an enforcement order against Portelli’s illegal development.
This may eventually lead to further court problems for the developers, who will have to face demands for compensation from those who invested in buying properties in the development.
I’m sorry but what is the interest of this Indian? Jew issa biex intawlu kull process u sadanittant nibqghu naghmlu li rridu, se nibdew indahhlu fin nofs nies barranin li m ghandhom x jaqsmu xejn? Bhal dan l Indjan? Jekk inhu hekk ghandhom x jaghzlu fost dawk li jqassmu l ikel, postmen u xoghol iehor!!!
If two are sanctioned , then the rest will be sanctioned as well, that is how things work in ta and Gozo.
The Planning Authority should stick to its decision.Greedy developers should not be allowed to exploit loop holes to their business advantage.
The loopholes are doing precisely what the government past and present put them in place for and work just fine. The frank debono of the construction sector who flipped over to the red side and is the go to architect RM seen to that?
It seems that Gozo’s cowboys are now seeking the assistance of Indians to thwart the Court’s decision.
Whoever it was who once said that we are living in the Wild was not off the mark at all, was he!!
If the planning authority does not issue a hefty daily fine , and make sure that he covers the pool with soil again and knock down the penthouses, then it means that Portelli is in command, and everyone in power is hijacked by him.
Portelli just show his name! There are big heads in business with him!..he is in no command!! Get it in your head!
In most (civilised) countries, if a building is illegal- it is demolished at the owners expense. Is that so hard to do in Malta, or is the power of the brown envelope a bigger “authority”?
Portelli and his cohorts should be hauled off to jaiċ in handcuffs. The illegal property should be bulldozed at their expense! Is there s judge wih balls to pass a decent judgement to these kind of crooks!!?
Courts should have stipulated a time line in which these ilegallities are to be removed and if not done so then poryelli and his Co horts should have their licences revoked, for good. It is people like these that ruined both our islands, our present government is are also to blame as are hand in glove with these rogue developers.
Let’s hope that the Indian citizen (and not because he is Indian) and his architect are held accountable for trying to carry out this fraudulent manoeuvre
Cowboys and Indians!
Someone is taking the Mickey. This just shows the stupidity of the system in that the PA.s time is wasted in even considering such an application to sanction for something that is illegal in the first place. If this article is true and the application is to sanction 2 apartments that are illegally built in the first place then the whole development should never have commenced in the first place. It just goes to show the whole process from start to finish is a joke. Get real and listen to the people of Gozo who cherish Gozo what the future holds:- hundreds of not thousands of empty properties that will fall into ruins due to shoddy over development on the Island.
At least, the developers does not have to9 worry were to dump the debris from the demolished penthouses. The dumping site is readily available, and very near. Dump the illegally built material in the illegal pool and fill it up with it.
Ara x bini enormi w ikrah qed jithalla jitla fuq daqsxejn ta Gzira?? Tal misthija!! Min hu dak l gahan li jmur jiddejjen biex jakwista bicca mbarazz min dawn!? U le le!! Gzira gibtuha mizbla! Dak l korrot Joseph qabel ha r riedni kien qalilna f Ghawdex bini ta 3 sulari biss!! Hmieg!!! Dal gvern mhux qieghed hemm jigverna imma qieghed kastilja jaghmel kull forma ta business ghalih!., xejn izjed!! Ghalhekk kollox ikrolla!.,iftah ghajnejk poplu gifa!
This seems to be the norm by certain developers having the PA on their side ( in their pockets) to sanction their illegalities. The PA should instead fine these developers (cowboys) BIG TIME for the unnecessary inconvenience caused to the surrounding residents, environmental damage such as pollution, waste of resources, increasing waste etc etc and all it entails to return the development to comply with the issued permits.