Hotel owners file protest over site plans approval

The owners of Le Meridien Hotel in St Julians yesterday filed a judicial protest against the health authorities claiming they were misguiding the Malta Environment and Planning Authority when they approved applications concerning two neighbouring sites.

Bajja Developments Limited, as the owner of the hotel, filed the protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court against the Health Minister, his Permanent Secretary, the Director General of the Heath Department and the Attorney General.

The company said that the owners of two sites neighbouring the hotel had filed three development applications for the construction of apartments.

Two of the applications were for a full development permission, which meant that Mepa could not approve the applications before they were scrutinised by the health authorities.

The company claimed that the plans proposed in the applications did not conform with health and safety requirements. Yet the authorities had approved the plans. This was illegal and was misguiding Mepa.

The company called on the health authorities and the Attorney General to retract their approval of the applications and held them liable in damages.

Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Joanne Vella Cuschieri signed the protest.