Mepa clamps down on Ghadira illegal structures

Enforcement notices by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority have been slapped on two illegally-built rooms right next to the Ghadira nature reserve and more may follow.

The authority said it would be investigating the construction of a new room earlier this week after the issue was raised by BirdLife, which manages the nature reserve.

Two enforcement notices have been issued against the owner of a newly-erected room, overlooking the reserve, and also against a person who owns another building in the area.

Development that is not visible in the 1967 site survey and where no permits are traced will be hit by more enforcement notices in a holistic exercise on this location, the authority said.

Despite being owned by the government, portions of the land are granted to a number of people who hold property titles. This makes verifying who is responsible for which land all the more laborious, Mepa explained.

The cases will now be referred for direct action, after a regulatory period. The authority will then demolish the illegal structures in a bid to return the area to its former state.

The new room was brought to the authority's attention by BirdLife last week.

The room is not the first to be built close to the reserve. What are meant to be "tool rooms" are sometimes converted, with the possibility of being used for residential purposes.

Other buildings in the area are fitted with air conditioning and weather proofing, while stacks of bricks and concrete beams next to one building suggest more is planned.

A 'tool room' was sanctioned, according to Mepa online records, in 2003, despite a recommendation for refusal by the case officer. However, no other development appears to have been sanctioned in the area, according to the same records.

BirdLife executive director Tolga Temuge welcomed Mepa's stand.

When the complaint was filed, Mr Temuge pointed out that these rooms were encroaching on the reserve, which is too small too compromise in any way.