Hotel owners claim Mepa abuse of power
Object to proposed demolition of scheduled properties
The owners of Le Meridien Hotel in St Julians yesterday filed an application claiming that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority was abusing its power as it had advised the minister responsible that two neighbouring properties could be removed from the scheduled-property register.
Bajja Developments Ltd explained that after lengthy negotiations, Mepa had issued a permit for the construction of the hotel taking into consideration listed properties in the area.
Mepa had not allowed it to develop any part of Villa Cassar Torreggiani, which formed part of the hotel's site, and had even insisted that the company provide it with financial guarantees that it will not touch the villa.
The permit also took cognisance of about 30 other listed properties including properties 7 and 8 at St Julians' Ramp. Bajja had to amend its hotel plans because of these two properties and one of the effects of this was fewer hotel rooms.
However, the company said, Mepa was now considering an application for the total demolition of 7 and 8, St Julians' Ramp.
Not only was Mepa ignoring its own previous decision to schedule these properties but it had advised the minister responsible that they could be removed from the list of scheduled properties.
This was an abuse of power on the part of the authority, for there were no valid reasons at law for this to happen.
The Development Control Commission, which formed part of Mepa, had approved the issue of the permit in respect of these two properties and as a result, instead of a historic building, two blocks of flats, each seven floors high, would be constructed in the historic bay of Balluta.
This, said Bajja Developments, was in total contradiction to the limitations that had been imposed upon it by Mepa.
The company called on the First Hall of the Civil Court to prohibit Mepa from issuing development permits in respect of the two properties. It added that its rights would be seriously prejudiced if the permits were issued.
Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Joanne Vella Cuschieri signed the application.