Building site rules come in force this summer

Contractors will have to put their house in order by this summer as the long-overdue building regulations are introduced.

The regulations, which are to be completely phased in after two long years, will come into effect in a bid to minimise public nuisance, reduce dust emissions and improve the visual impact of construction sites.

Unveiling the new regulations, Environment Minister George Pullicino admitted that the biggest difficulty is that society still "expects a police state, and not a compliant society".

Enforcement officers from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority will team up with 14 former dockyard workers from Industrial Projects and Services Ltd to keep a tab on the new regulations.

Non-compliance with the regulations will result in fines ranging between Lm100 and Lm500 for certain infringements and between Lm500 and Lm5,000 for far more serious breaches.

Bound to be welcomed by thousands of residents who have had to endure months of construction inconvenience, the regulations will apply to any site under construction or undergoing alteration, renovation, completion, demolition and excavation works.

A site manager shall be responsible to ensure that the contractor is abiding by the regulations and a notice affixed to each site has to list his contact details.

The owner of the property will have to deposit a bank guarantee to cover street furniture and paving.

Stone cutting can only be carried out on site if machinery and tools are equipped with dust extraction systems, if it takes place within the building and all external apertures are boarded up with impermeable material.

Sanding activity can only take place if external apertures are boarded up and the entire working area is covered. The equipment used has to be equipped with a device to reduce dust emission.

Loose building material has to be transported in rigid containers, be adequately covered and kept sealed when not in use. The construction site and the immediate vicinity have to be maintained by disposing of trash and debris in closed waste receptacles, while trucks have to have their tyres hosed down before leaving the site. All sites have to have hoarding to conceal the site and protect adjacent areas from dust and falling material.

Where construction work-related operations extend beyond the perimeter surrounding the construction site, a covered passage should be provided.

Construction work will be permitted between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and in the summer months, demolition and excavation works are allowed between 8.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. The consultation process on the new regulations will come to a close on May 25. Mr Pullicino said the first phase of the regulations should come into effect by this summer. These apply to works on a construction footprint of over 1,000 square metres, a height of 13 metres, or construction sites having excavations deeper than four metres.

The regulations will be phased in over two years, a good timeframe according to Mr Pullicino, who said the new process is a learning phase for everybody. As much as the vast majority are clamouring for strict regulations, there are several people who dabble in construction and who need time to readjust, he said.

In most cases, workers and contractors will initially only be handed a warning, before a fine is dished out.

Mr Pullicino urged contractors to come in line with the regulations and for residents to learn their rights. He called on the media to contemplate introducing a "name and shame" policy to expose the shortcomings of developers.

A leaflet on the regulations will be sent to each household.