Heavier Mepa caseload

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority determined 554 applications in April and received 691 new ones. The net pending caseload at the end of the month was 3,823.

During April, the authority processed 93 notifications of development which did not require a formal application. It also issued 78 stop and enforcement notices - 51 in Malta and 27 in Gozo.

Mepa sanctioned 151 enforcement cases through the issue of a sanctionable permit. Another 50 cases were resolved since owners decided to remove illegal developments following enforcement action. In the same month 38 cases were withdrawn by Mepa.

The authority's endeavours to strengthen its enforcement action resulted in a record of 257 compliances, nearly 100 more than in the previous month. This was the second consecutive month when a record for compliance was recorded, Mepa said.