Council urges MEPA to respect own decision

Lija Mayor Ian Castaldi Paris said today that he expected MEPA to withdraw permits it had issued for the demolition of a villa and a maisonette with adjoining garden in Transfiguration Avenue and their replacement with apartments over three floors.

Speaking at a press conference, he said Lija local council expected MEPA to act in line with its recent decision to limit development in this street to two floors so as not to clash with the historic belvedere.

Referring to one of the developments, where demolition work started earlier this week, the Mayor said Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera had acted like any citizen would, when the council stopped the work until a warden was assigned. When it was explained to her that this was a safety issue, the Magistrate accepted.

He said the Magistrate, who, he said, had bought one of the projected apartments on plan, had acted on behalf of the developer, who was a Gozitan and could not be present.