Mepa reform, more of the same? - FAA
Permit to demolish and build four floors in the Sliema Urban Conservation Area, a no-demolition, two storey zone.
Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar is heartened by the Mepa board’s request for a revision of plans to the construction of 164 apartments, 232 garages and 960 square metres of commercial space on the site of the former Seven-Up factory in Hamrun.
The issues raised at the hearing included the negative impact on the views of the urban conservation area near the Wignacourt Aqueduct water tower, inadequate pedestrian areas and the traffic problems that such an intensive development could create, given the narrow streets of the area.
FAA said that Mepa chairman Austin Walker’s comment that the project appeared to constitute overdevelopment in a dense residential area signalled an important shift in the authority’s attitude on urban development in the context of Malta’s over 76,000 vacant housing units.
This came in the wake of other decisions in favour of the interests of residents or the environment.
In May, FAA said, the Mepa board refused a permit to construct an animal farm near residences even though the project already had an outline permit which was not deemed to be in the public interest.
Similarly, permits to build villas in Safi and stables in Zurrieq were turned down due to being in an out of development zone.
It iwass therefore disappointing to see that while the Mepa board was refusing permits which violated the Structure Plan or were not in the public interest, the Development Control Commission boards were granting such permits.
In March, the DCC A board granted a permit for the ‘temporary’ garaging of road constructors’ heavy vehicles in spite of the Mepa directorate’s recommendation to refuse. The proposed garages were on an ODZ rural settlement contrary to local plan policies (see photos at: www.faa.org.mt/wrong-decisions).
Similarly, in June, the DCC C board granted a permit to demolish a house in the Sliema urban conservation area, in spite of the fact that demolitions of facades are not allowed in UCAs.
Both the Mepa directorate and the Heritage Advisory Committee agreed that “the existing facade of the building has contextual value that contributes to the character of the streetscape and thus it should be retained”.
Moreover the project was granted four floors in a two-floor area (see photos at: www.faa.org.mt/suca-threat).
In the case of the Mosta football stadium, an application was submitted to cover several changes to plans including the opening of windows and a nine-course structure built when the permit only granted five courses (see photos at: www.faa.org.mt/mosta-football-ground).
This permit was approved before the two week representation period ended one week ago, and without even one public hearing.
These three examples, FAA said, showed that the spirit of reform was still far from being put into practice.
It said that although one may appreciate the Mepa chairman’s candour, his words this week reflected a totally unacceptable tolerance of planning mistakes.
FAA said the chairman said: “Wrong decisions are taken and will continue to be taken….Neither this reform nor any future reform will guarantee that wrong decisions are not taken”.
The public, the group said, had a right to expect a structure that ensured that correct decisions were taken on such important matters, and that the Mepa system provided remedies for any mistakes and accountability for those who failed in their duty.
“Corrective measures are imperative. The plan to introduce a €2,500 fine for frivolous appeals will further weaken the system of redress, favouring abusive developers and inhibiting residents from using their full rights to object to unjust permits.
“Is Mepa reform going to be just more of the same,” FAA asked.
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j.schembri
Jun 27th 2010, 23:48
@astrid vella. Thank you for your reply. Fimtek inthom tghin biss lil dawk li kif jghid il-malti jghin ruhek halli Alla jghinek, u kazi fejn fl-opinjoni tal-FAA jista ikun hemm xi korruzzjoni, skandli ect. Dawn huma il-kazi li jaghmlu l-hoss fil-gazetti. Biex nikteb fil-gurnali ghandi melh bizzejjed biex naghmel dan jiena hsibt li inthom lil titkelmu dwar emissjonijiet u rovina tal-core tal-villaggi hsibt li kaz bhal dan tindunaw bih. Dejjem xtaqt li inkun membru fil-FAA imma għal ragunijiet personali qatt ma dħalt membru.
j.schembri
Jun 27th 2010, 18:30
@astrid vella Jiena personali ma ghamilt ebda rapport, ghax dejjem had l-impressjoni minn kif tikkelmu li inthom il-gwardjani ta dak li jkun qed isir u hadd l-impressjoni li torqdu l-MEPA jonqoskom. Li ma kellkom ebda rapport ghalija hija skuza. dan il-parkeġġ beda jinbena sena u nofs ilu, u nahseb li kontu diga tezistu imma mohhkom f'progetti oħra, li jaghmlu impatt fuq skala nazzjonali.
Astrid Vella
Jun 27th 2010, 20:57
Mr. Schembri, we are already swamped with the cases where our members ask us to intervene, norqdu l-Mepa kull ma jonqosna! If you don't take the interest to flag up the problems facing your area, how can you expect others to do so? We are on internet at www.faa.org.mt - others who had problems never found any difficulty in reaching us.
We help civil society and residents' groups to take initiatives in their area by guiding them, highlighting their problems in the press and speaking on members' behalf with the authorities. We are only unpaid volunteers and there is a limit to our resources. Washing your hands of responsibility for your area and trying to dump that responsibility on others is not the way to go. God helps those who help themselves. You are welcome to join us so that together we can ward off other threats to your area.
Joseph E Briffa
Jun 27th 2010, 09:52
When will we see an end to this obsession to pull down every two storeyed house and construct a block of apartments 5, 6 or 9 floors high, even in narrow streets? Haven't we done enough damage? We used to say that the height of the buildings should not be more than one and a half times the width of the street; why have we abondened this precept? There is no place for 6 floors structures in a street no wider than 30 ft; the high- rise structures should only be allowed on a seafront and nowhere else. It's about time that we stop this craze once and for all. Aren't there more than enough half-finished concrete structures all over the place? And why don't we do something about the derelict empty houses? Why aren't the owners made to refurbish them rather than allow them to become derilict until such time as they get a good price for them to be pulled down and replaced by blocks of apartments? Owners should be given a time limit to carry out the necessary works to the facade, failing which they will be fined so much a day.
j.schembri
Jun 27th 2010, 08:24
L-FAA dwar dan il-proġett diga fethet halqa izda ma ghamiltx l-istess meta wiehed mil-ftit spazji li kien baqa gol Hamrun li jinsab bejn Triq id-duka ta Edinburgh u Triq san Vincens, qed nirreferi ghal dak li darba kien suq sar parkeġġ li suppost li kellu jkun kollu taht l-art izda fil-fatt ma giex hekk. Inbniet kamra bit-tarag u lift li kerhu il-post kollu u inbena ukoll kunsill lokali. F'dan is-sit sar hafna tibdil mill-pjanti originali izda tal-FAA baqaw sikta. Nistaqsi dawn il-proġetti jaghzluhom. Jaf li din il-parti tal-Hamrun minbarra li hija fil-core of the village li dejjem jghidu li rridu jiddefendu tinsab vicin ukoll fl-aktar parti antika tal-Hamrun. Nistenna min jikkummenta dwar dan il-nuqqas minn naha tal-FAA. Fuq kollox dan ma kienx xi car park go tas-sliema li certa nies ma kienux se jiehdu gost bih.
Astrid Vella
Jun 27th 2010, 16:40
Mr Schembri, did you inform FAA of this case of over-development that you have written about? If not, how do you expect us to be aware of it?
As you can imagine, we cannot cope with all of MEPA's cases from B'bugia to Gozo, so our selection criteria is projects that will affect a whole community and yes, that could include a car park, due to all the toxic emissions it would bring into a residential area.
From what you say about the project it sounds like its already been built, so probably it was processed by MEPA even before we set up as an NGO.
Ant Pace
Jun 26th 2010, 16:10
I can still remember when Censu Tabone was President , and was visiting in New Zealand he was taken to a high place and he was looking downwards on Auckland and the beautiful scene he saw of the city I couldn t take it from my mind. years passed, and although I didn t go to New Zealand I managed to arrive to Australia another beautiful country. From that hill over Auckland the city looked very nice , well organised, roof tops and houses almost like in a postcard. What a different scene in Malta. Buildings everywhere, rows of houses , one 2 stories the house adjacent to it with a semi basement garage so the main door is almost the same level with the balcony of the other house etc. etc. What reform? you must be joking. As Michael Jackson used to say. THIS IS IT. We have to live with it. That s the Maltese way of doing things I m afraid.
Astrid Vella
Jun 26th 2010, 15:40
Should any readers be outraged by the ongoing loss of our heritage and environment, we urge them to join Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (Together for a Better Environment) at www.faa.org.mt where we are committed to work for the preservation of our heritage, environment and quality of life.
Even if you don't have the time to volunteer as an active member, even just joining will be a form of contributing to save Malta and Gozo, and will also enable you to participate in our talks, walks and updates.
www.faa.org.mt
James A. Tyrrell
Jun 26th 2010, 15:12
John Wilman asks, what’s happening to your heritage?
Put quite simply John Heritage in Malta is a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. MEPA for all the talk of reform is still the same corrupt authority it always was. Height limitations mean nothing, building facades mean nothing and outside development zones mean nothing so long as you have the money to pay the right person to make obstacles like these go away. Malta used to be a beautiful country but it is slowly being turned into a concrete slum.
Muscat Pat
Jun 26th 2010, 14:45
There are more cranes and buildings along the Sliema skyline than in London Paris or Rome! And yet, all the concrete match boxes are ugly, very ugly! Is it possible that the University Dep of Architecture, or the expensive MEPA, can.t come up with anything better, and more pleasing ?
We have arrived at a point of no return.
monica vella
Jun 26th 2010, 13:31
I will tell you what is wrong Mr Wilman.Malta is full of greedy, uncouth people who do not understand the meaning of Heritage.Shame on everyone who is responsible for the destruction of our island.
J Oatmon
Jun 26th 2010, 13:20
It is obvious even to a child that there is no real 'planning' in Malta - what we have is an approval process for development applications only - there is no long term forward planning, in Malta at all.
Having several groups making decisions in regard to permissions, reviews, demolitions, construction/development etc., means each can be blame the other, and no one is accountable to take the blame for the catastrophic (possibly corrupt) decisions made. I thank the process should be a progression through all the required groups, (which should be three at most) and if any one fails the application then that is it - no approval.
It is also obvious that corruption is alive and well, in the granting of planning permissions in Malta, and accountability is not in the interests of those top people involved in these so called planning organisations.
John Wilman
Jun 26th 2010, 12:56
When I first came to Malta for holiday I stayed in Xemxija, there was traditional " Maltese " houses around the bay, they have been knocked down and now the bay is crammed full of half empty apartment blocks, what`s happening to your heritage?, something wrong somewhere.