'No infringement of permit' at Hamrun site

A joint site inspection by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has concluded that there is no infringement of the permit conditions in the development PA 5495/02 in St Joseph Street, Hamrun.

The Superintendence stated that there appears to be no grounds for its further intervention.

This site visit was one of a series of inspections carried out following repeated allegations that wartime shelters were being destroyed and that there may be features linked to the Wignacourt Aquaduct.

A damning internal audit report on this case had accused Mepa of prioritising the needs of a developer over the need to preserve the national heritage. The report was recently made public by Alternattiva Demokratika.

It heavily criticised the go-ahead given for the excavation of a plot in Hamrun under which there is a wartime shelter.

Drawn up by one of Mepa's own audit officers, it also criticises the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage for what was described as "a seeming reluctance to use his extensive powers under the Heritage Act, to stop or modify a proposed development".

The site was again investigated by officials of the Integrated Heritage Management Team, by a certified geologist and by an expert from the Superintendence.

The officials concluded that no damage was inflicted to the shelter and cisterns within the site since the re-commencement of works last month.

They all concurred that the purported evidence is in fact the result of rock fissures and not the top of aqueduct arches, Mepa and the Superintendence said in a statement.

However, conscious of the proximity of the aqueduct, close monitoring was still being maintained so that any accidental discovery might quickly be addressed.