Mepa accused of issuing permit fraudulently
Three couples residing in Madliena filed legal action against the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) calling for the revocation of a development permit in the locality on the basis that it had been issued fraudulently.
Paul and Anna Maria Camilleri, Carmel and Maria Theresa Falzon and Carmelo and Alison Farrugia filed their application against Mepa and Madliena Village Ltd.
The couples told the First Hall of the Civil Court that Madliena Village Ltd was developing a project in Fortress Road, which was adjacent to their homes. The project was to take place in a zone indicated by Mepa in its North Harbour Local Plan as an area reserved for detached and semi-detached buildings which did not exceed two stories.
According to the couples, the project was to bring about a density of construction that exceeded the limits imposed by the Structure Plan. Consequently, the works carried out by Madliena Village Ltd in terms of the permit issued by Mepa were in violation of their rights.
They told the court that the development permits issued to Madliena Village Ltd were in violation of Mepa policy and had been issued through fraud
The court was requested to declare that the permits had been issued fraudulently and to order their revocation. It was also requested to order Mepa and Madliena Village Ltd to make good the damages they had sustained.
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s.cutajar
Dec 12th 2008, 20:27
@R. Gauci
First of all the Maltese public already took note and acted accordingly during the last general election. That was our only big occasion this year. Maybe there was not enough support to your idea!!
I agree with you that the flagrant abuse by the then board members in the Safi case was not punished accordingly by this administration which has the same faces as that of the last legislature. Maybe here is the real problem. The next opportunity for the Maltese people to make themselves heard on this issue and on other issues such as the W/E/drainage tariffs will be next year!! Many are sick and tired of all the hnizrijiet that take place on a daily basis at MEPA.
The creation of MEPA itself was sheer madness in the first place. Arrogance reigns supreme u s suppervja mhux ser twassalhom imkien!!!
I referred to the Prime Minister who a few months ago had promised a genuine reform..... (hopefully not another preelectoral gimmick but a complete overhaul) before its too late!!! Since he is currently responsible of MEPA, he is the only one that can control abuse by making a real reform!!!
Hope is the last to die!!
R.Gauci
Dec 12th 2008, 20:12
@ Edward Darmanin
I think you should wake up and remove your blue mask which is not letting you to view facts! A bad decision will always remain bad even if 100 years will pass and will have bad effect on everyone red,blue,green etc. !!
Edward Darmanin
Dec 12th 2008, 19:15
@ R Gauci
Wake up from your 9 month sleep. The vote has been cast!
R.Gauci
Dec 12th 2008, 17:54
@ S. Cutajar
The Primeminister you are invoking your blog to was the same person that 1 week before the general election said nothing against a scandalistic decision to allow the building of a supermarket in the middle of a green area in Safi and just accepted the resign in bloc of the Mepa board and appointed "new members" in hurry without taking any action against the old board members ! What he should note!! Its the Maltese people that should note this when they cast their vote!!!!!!
joseph preca
Dec 12th 2008, 17:53
If this accusation is referring to the original permit than I remember quite clearly this application was submitted and approved before the setting up of MEPA. The minister responsible at that time was well aware of this application and he had pacified a Madliena Residents Association meeting by playing down the size of this development which he declared will not exceed the bridge at Wied id Dis!!!!
Another permit touching the Victoria lines was issued at that time, again through the intervention of the same Minister, in the Valley opposite, for a semi detached making use of the distance of the house from the Victoria lines as the boundary wall and at the same time sanctioning the narrowing of the road from 24 feet to 14 feet resulting in another boundary wall being constructed 10 feet from the house. This when regulations stipulate that only one villa on one tumolo having a distance of 20 feet from the building to the boundary wall was supposed to be permitted!!! Viva il Ministru!!!
s. cutajar
Dec 12th 2008, 17:32
Well done to the couples involved!!
Unfortunately, in this country MEPA is not really implementing its own policies in order to safeguard the zoning in villa areas, Recent cases such as Santa Marija Estate in Mellieha are all known to everyone.
Another case in point is a unique apartment block located exactly in the middle of the villa area in Gudja. This recently approved building is a monument of incompetence and abuse of power by certain authority officials and the same board in the recent past.
Certain so called planning experts think that they are above the law. There were objections to this development and an ombudsman report on this case totally disagreed with the case officer report and the relevant DCC board arguments. All the provisions against such a development were intentionally ignored by MEPA!!
Buildings not compatible with the surroundings are a living example of MEPA's insensitivity to genuine objectors. Nice terms used in the same MEPA's policies such as 'RESIDENTIAL PRIORITY AREA', LOW DENSITY etc... do not really impress anyone unless they are put in practice.
Prime Minister Gonzi please note!!
D. Buhagiar
Dec 12th 2008, 16:33
madliena village should have never started at 1st place......it ruined the valley
lgalea
Dec 12th 2008, 16:24
Good luck
It's about time every organization and person responsible for taking decisions is brought to book.
Franco bajada
Dec 12th 2008, 16:15
WELL DONE TO THE 3 COUPLES INVOLVED. I WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE EU AS WELL.!! KEEP IT UP AND LET'S HOPE MORE PEOPLE DO THE SAME!!