Mepa accused of breaching heritage law

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority's decision to approve the demolition of six Sliema townhouses that will be replaced by apartments is in breach of the Heritage Act, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) spokesman Astrid Vella said.

Representatives of the Sliema local council and FAA gathered outside the houses yesterday to voice their concerns about Mepa's decision that was taken even though its Heritage Advisory Committee (HCA) advised against it.

Ms Vella explained that the initial Mepa application - to build apartments and garages on Milner and Howard Street in Sliema - was submitted in February 2006 and was rejected in July that year because the houses were within the urban conservation area (UCA). When the final local plans were issued, round about August 2006, the houses were withdrawn from the UCA without consulting Sliema residents or the local council.

The developer filed the second Mepa application (PA06269/06) in October 2006 and, now that the buildings were cleared from the UCA, the project was approved.

"This rings alarm bells," Ms Vella said as she insisted that the houses -Grade II heritage buildings - need not be in the UCA to be protected.

She explained that, according to the Heritage Act, Grade II buildings could only be subject to sensitive alterations in-keeping with the character of the building. Demolition was far from "sensitive", she said.

She added that "the DCC A chairman initially agreed with our submissions that the Heritage Act, which applies to these buildings, obviously applies irrespective of area". Yet, the full development permit was granted earlier this month even after HAC noted (in its minutes) that "the committee thought it was strange that the zone where the buildings lie was withdrawn from the UCA".

"Why is there a total refusal on the part of the authorities to consider a limited review of the local plans," Ms Vella asked.

She noted that the project had not been subjected to the EU's Minimal Energy Efficiency regulations by the Mepa board before approval. When she asked the DCC chairman about such regulations, she was told that energy-efficiency tests would be assessed after construction. "This is a mockery and clear infringement of EU regulations," Ms Vella said.

FAA was not against development as such but opposed anything that broke the law.

Local councillors present said they unanimously voted against the development. Michael Briguglio pointed out that the council was a registered objector and was considering appealing the Mepa decision.