The Malta Environment and Planning Authority this morning rejected the renewal of a development permit for a detached villa in Iklin, which had drawn strong protests from Lija fireworks factory because it involved a private road impinging on the buffer zone.

The authority’s Planning Directorate had recommended approval of the renewal but the board decided to reject the application. Architect Michael Falzon, on behalf of some Iklin residents produced a 2004 auditor’s report which had found that the original approval reflected a breakdown of the authority’s system of checking and the Development Control Commission was not presented with the full scenario before granting the permit.

The auditor found that the permit was in breach of policy and had recommended that any application for renewal should not be entertained.

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