Residents in bid to stop applications evaluation

Four residents whose homes overlook St Anne Square, in Sliema, yesterday called on the court to stop the Malta Environment and Planning Authority board from processing two applications submitted by the developer of a proposed block of apartments overlooking the square.

Rosa Marie Bauer Winter, Chris Vassallo, Michel Micallef Trigona and Philip Forace asked the First Hall of the Civil Court to issue a warrant of prohibitory injunction to stop Mepa from processing the applications during a board meeting scheduled for today.

The residents explained that the first application (PA 1176/00) sought an extension to a commercial outlet onto St Anne Square. They said they owned property that would be partially covered by the proposed development.

A permit to this first application had originally been granted but was later withdrawn after the Mepa board found that the developer had submitted incorrect information and this had had a bearing on the original approval. The board decided that the developer would submit a fresh set of plans to be evaluated at today's meeting.

On June 8, when the Mepa board revoked the original permit, the developer submitted a second application (PA 3706/06). This application requested the sanctioning of irregularities on site and was filed after Mepa issued an enforcement notice on the development where unauthorised works had been carried out.

However, the residents claimed, the second application did not seek the sanctioning of all irregular works. This precluded the Mepa board from processing the original application at today's meeting.

The residents called on the court to stop the meeting as the two applications contained procedural flaws.

The court is expected to give a ruling this morning after hearing Mepa's reply.

Lawyer Joseph Ellis signed the writ.