Mellieha couple say road layout causing them damages

A married couple yesterday filed a judicial protest claiming that damage had been caused to their property as a result of works carried out in Mellieha.

James John and Marlene Gouder filed their protest against the Mellieha local council and against Carmel Vella Ltd. The couple said they owned a house with a garage in Toni Pace Street, Mellieha. In 1996, a public garden was constructed across the road from their house. In the course of construction, the street was laid out in such a manner that all the rainwater from the neighbourhood flowed through it. As a direct result, a large volume of rainwater was entering the Gouders' property, particularly the basement. This had caused them to sustain damages.

The Gouders claimed they had complained about this to the Works Department and were informed that, as their complaint concerned the asphalting of a road, it was to be addressed to the local council.

The local council had recently engaged a contractor, Carmel Vella Ltd, to again asphalt the road. Following the Gouders' complaints it was decided that when the works were carried out, they would rectify the layout.

However, after the street was dug up and newly asphalted, the problem was not solved and it was, in fact, worse than before. The Gouders added that they had sustained damages as a result of rainfall last month. They claimed that the situation was dangerous and they called upon the council and the contractor to immediately remedy the situation.

The Gouders also called upon the council and the contractor to make good the damages they had sustained. Lawyer Aron Mifsud Bonnici signed the protest.