Maritime authority to apply for sanctioning
Changes in road considered to be maintenance works
The Malta Maritime Authority will be applying to sanction a number of illegal works carried out on the newly-inaugurated Boiler Wharf in Senglea as a berth for cruise liners.
The works include the construction of a fence, the installation of mobile guard rooms and the change of use of a room to public toilets, all of which were carried out without a planning permit, a Transport Ministry spokesman said.
The decision was taken during a meeting held on September 2 between the MMA and the planning authority.
Boiler Wharf was officially launched by Transport Minister Austin Gatt in August after the first phase of the project was completed. The wharf, which used to form part of Malta Shipyards and remained unused for a number of years, will serve as an additional quay for cruise liners when the Viset terminal in Valletta Waterfront is full.
As works were being completed, an enforcement notice was issued by the planning authority on July 6 because the boundary walls were demolished and rebuilt without a permit.
Once completed, the planning authority pointed out that the rest of the works were also illegal because no permit had ever been granted.
Until two weeks ago, the maritime authority still insisted that the works did not require a development permit. A project spokesman said they had been given the go-ahead by the Malta Transport Authority to pull down walls in order to widen a ramp leading to the main road.
In view of the dispute between the MMA and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, a meeting was held to discuss the issue.
It was decided that the demolition and road widening works were allowed because they were considered to be maintenance works, a ministry spokesman said.
However, the authority will still have to apply to sanction the rest of the work done without permission.
The 460-metre long quay can accommodate 300-metre long cruise liners. The rest of the wharf, which includes a boiler room full of machinery, will be converted into an industrial museum with some of the machinery, dating back to the 19th century, restored.
The first phase of the project, launched on May 27, was funded by the MMA.