Juan Ameen
Attard Brothers get discount on Mepa bill
The planning authority yesterday reduced a fee by over €45,000 for major developers Attard Brothers after they complained that they could not afford the hefty bill.
The company had owed €114,450 for the sanctioning of a precast plant which was built illegally in the Ta' Qali industrial estate. The authority approved the development in October but tied the permit to a fee, known as planning gain.
Attard Brothers director Michael Attard pleaded with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority board to reduce the fee saying the company could not afford it as it was already feeling the pinch of the financial crisis.
"I have 300 employees who depend on me and I can't pay €114,450 especially in these difficult times," he said before suggesting that the fee be reduced from €25 per square metre, as it was, to a mere €5 per square metre.
"I need to start building. I have equipment worth millions that is not being used and had you issued the permit three years ago, I would have already got one-quarter of the amount back," he said.
Board chairman Austin Walker pointed out that the company was not being singled out, and reminded Mr Attard that he had filed an application to sanction an illegally built property.
However, he proposed that the fee be reduced from €25 to €15 and the rest of the board approved the proposal unanimously, which means Mr Attard now has to pay a total of €68,670, down by €45,780 from the original amount.
The board also decided that the payment should be made in three stages: when the permit is issued and the remaining amount over the next two years.
Three years ago, Mr Attard had filed an application for a full development permit to construct a new precast plant on his site in Ta' Qali industrial estate.
However, seeing that the authority had not yet approved his request to build the plant, Mr Attard started building the new plant anyway and filed for sanctioning.
In October, Mepa sanctioned the building and informed Mr Attard that he would have to pay a planning gain of €25 per square metre over a total of 4,578 square metres amounting to €114,450. The authority had requested the full amount before the permit was issued.
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D Camilleri
Jan 10th 2009, 22:12
confiscate the machinery and sell it ?
i forgot these are property developers were talking about...
V Fenech
Jan 10th 2009, 13:58
Well done Mepa!
joe scerri
Jan 10th 2009, 09:55
I don't know how our leaders manage to keep a straight face when they appear in the media.
MEPA hahaha
will I get a discount on my water and electricty bill ????????????????!!!!!!!
Joe morana
Jan 10th 2009, 09:40
Is this the MEPA reform that we were promised? In this country it seems that IT PAYS to build illegaly as we have seen that eventually illegalities are sanctioned another example is the Solemar Hotel at Marfa . Similarly the government has repeatedly also given concession those who never declared their earning from their investments overseas much less paid TAX ON SUCH EARNINGS. nvested their money overseas (undeclared). The goernment also gave concession to local businessman who failed to forward the VATcollected to the Tax Department. But the Government never gave concessions to us lesser mortals who are law abiding citizens.
Michael Spiteri
Jan 9th 2009, 21:19
Ehh! And a poor farmer builds a rubble wall to hold the soil from getting eroded away and the next thing he knows is that a (MEPA) bulldozer is pulling it down. And they have the face to call themselves "Malta Environment Protection Authority" Environment protection my foot!
salvu abela
Jan 9th 2009, 21:09
Is this not BLACKMAIL or what do you call it ?
Joe Cassar
Jan 9th 2009, 20:46
I had to read this 3 times before I could make myself believe what I was reading.
How ironical that this happened on the same day the Magic Kiosk was demolished!
Dominic Newland
Jan 9th 2009, 12:16
They should at least put in a provision to say that if the company makes any profit over the next 3 years, this discount will have to be paid back before the shareholders get paid. This should have no effect on the 300 workers, but should stop the company owners getting rich by blackmailing the taxpayer.
Ray Sultana
Jan 9th 2009, 11:49
Perfect:
act like a cowboy and build an illegal monstrosity in the countryside below Mdina (why bother about a permit when you’re a building contractor!) Not only does Mepa sanction your monstrosity but you also get a discount on the bill!
Just this week we heard that rubble walls that are too high were being demolished. Yes rubble walls that are too high ruin the environment but this monstrosity does not!
The least Mepa could do is to insist that the developer decorate the structure and plant some tress around it to mitigate a bit the negative effects of this horrible grey structure on the aesthetics of the area.
mary Pace
Jan 9th 2009, 11:30
KullHadd Xortieh,f' dinja sorry hawn MAlta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DVella
Jan 9th 2009, 10:33
This is ridiculous!!!! How many times have we heard the same old story of some poor destitute contractor or developer saying that he employed hundreds of people and would have to lay them off if he was forced to pay his dues??? Has MEPA become a charitable institution?? There is mention of equipment worth millions yet the developer claims he can't pay the fee . . . (duh!). Why not liquidate some of the assets??? If they are REALLY worth millions there should be no problem with a mere 114,000 Euros!!!
Well done MEPA . . . this sort of thing does wonders for your credibility and the public's faith in the institution!!
Stephen Spiteri
Jan 9th 2009, 10:32
Did FAA ever say anything about this ? Oh by the way, this is not Sliema although close to Attard !!!
Maruska Agius
Jan 9th 2009, 10:22
Simply amazing! I wonder what's next??
P.Schembri
Jan 9th 2009, 09:04
As I can't make ends meet because of the cost of living and the w&e tariffs, can I have a discount please. Thank You.
Joe Cordina
Jan 9th 2009, 08:56
I wonder whether MEPA would give little old me a discount if I am caught breeching the law.