Sliema registers highest number of Mepa offences

The Malta Environment & Planning Authority (Mepa) decided 535 applications and received 536 new applications. last month, bringing its net pending caseload to 4,617.

Last month, the authority processed 104 notifications of development which did not require a formal application.

Mepa issued 20 contraventions to developers on sites that were breaching construction site management regulations.

While the highest number of offences occurred in Sliema, most of the contraventions related to the lack of hoarding and screening around building sites, not affixing of notice board on-site and insufficient barricades to block off access as a safety measure.

These fines amounted to a total of €19,566.54. Inspectors also issued 29 other contraventions, amounting to €6,463.89, to individuals that were found breaching the Littering Act. In this case fines were mainly issued for the illegal depositing of refuse near a public skips.

Mepa said that 168 Stop and Enforcement notices were issued, 101 in Malta and 67 in Gozo. The enforcement section within Mepa closed 66 cases, 51 in Malta and 15 in Gozo. 14 other enforcement cases were sanctioned by a planning permit while another 51 cases were resolved by the owners’ decision to remove their illegal development and comply with the enforcement notice.