Owner fights plans to demolish old house
The owner of a 150-year-old scheduled property in Mosta has filed a judicial protest claiming that Transport Malta's plans to demolish the house for the building of a road are illegal.
Michael John Darmanin, who works in Austria but lives in the Mosta house during his regular visits to Malta, filed his protest against the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Transport Malta and the director of the Lands Department.
He said in his protest that he has owned the property, at 77, St Anthony the Abbot Street, Mosta, since January 1992.
He said he would be needing the house when he returns to Malta in the near future and his 78-year-old mother, who suffers from Pagets Disease and uses a wheelchair, would be moving in with him.
Mr Darmanin pointed out that his house had not been expropriated. Moreover, the property was scheduled and built over 150 years ago. It had been lovingly converted by its owners, and had many architectural and typical Maltese characteristics which were being lost.
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29 Comments
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J. Bugeja
Sep 8th 2010, 11:38
If you have old maltese houses at heart, join facebook group. Maltese Houses of Character.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=115000671850813&ref=ts
I cannot understand why MAlta is turning into one big slum. Everywhere you turn your heads there are tower cranes.
Stop buidling concrete monsters in places where they shouldn't be. Everyone knows that there are more empty houses and flats then potential buyers. We should renovate and fix the existing ones before building more.
In 25 years time everywhere is going to start looking the same. :(
Liz Groves
Sep 8th 2010, 07:38
I could not agree more with comments about systematic destruction of Mosta. my house is hundreds of years old and is currently at end of this ancient alley. A developer bought field next door to my garden and the garage at right angles to my house. Thus he will be 'extending' the alley and construcxting more faceless dwellings. This permit application was turned down many times over the past years until - suddenly- post MEPA reform, it has gone through. MEPA consider Mosta core to be round the Church which is modern. Original cores are St Anthony Street and area towards Ta Qali. You will not be able to get a fire tender down alley but if a few people burn to death - what does it matter ?
Joseph Ellul - Sydney
Sep 7th 2010, 23:57
After reading the comments, its seems that past wrongs are nor righted and rights are non existent.
Melvyn mifsud LLD
Sep 7th 2010, 22:24
Can someone enlighten us as to whether relative permits have been issued by MEPA and other relevant authorities as the case may warrant have been issued - this to properly understand the merits of the complaint.
Josephine Cassar
Sep 7th 2010, 21:50
The building housing the Public registry in Gozo was expropriated in 1958 by the Labour Government and though it has lately been vacated, it still has not been returned to its rightful owners or rather, heirs now in spite of the fact that it was not used according to the terms of the agreement. I hope Airmalta which is occupying a room moves out and the property given back without further delay.
T.Guntrip
Sep 7th 2010, 20:33
@ J.Borg
Indeed, this is true - all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.
Charles Sammut
Sep 7th 2010, 20:04
They had no qualms raping Valletta with Piano's folly, do you think they will think twice about a 150 year old house in Mosta?
c. camilleri
Sep 7th 2010, 19:30
@ n lawrence Sorry but you do not know yet what living under dictator means. If you have been here during the 70s and 80s you would not write such nonsense. Our houses were taken not for public interest but to be given to LP activists. And there was not just one case but hundreds, many are still occupied illegal by these tenants.
Darren Cassar
Sep 7th 2010, 19:53
I do remember the 80s and you are right as me and my parents suffered but what is the point of mentioning PL's past to justify the current govt's way of doing things. In the context of the year we r living, this low style of governance certainly has its weight.
We all know now due to awareness and education that old Maltese characteristics should be protected.
This government governed brilliantly or at least it seems so in the first 10 years but unfortunately things started going for the worse from the year 2000 till now.
Bernard Mamo
Sep 7th 2010, 20:45
Igifeiri ghax sar hazin dak iz-zmien ghandek tuzaha bhala skuza tajba biex tghamel hazin illum. Definizzjoni perfetta ta' njuranza. P.s. Ma jinteressanix minn dak li gara 30 - 40 sena ilu, jien illum nghix, dak iz-zmien qas kelli idea, kont ghadni nitwieled.
Sammut Sammut
Sep 8th 2010, 01:58
@c.camilleri... If you know the hundreds of cases you are referring to why dnt you report the abuse so justice is done??
Sandra Pullicino
Sep 8th 2010, 11:45
c. camilleri DICTATORSHIP has been with us since 1987 when the PN was elected save for the 22 months between 1996-98 when we had a PL government.
t. borg
Sep 7th 2010, 19:15
ix-xatt tal-kalkara qerdu dar ta' 250 sena mhux se jedirdu dar ta' 150? il-mepa l-ewwel irrifjutat u wara accettat.
Pawlu Agius
Sep 7th 2010, 20:02
Another example is a site it Triq il-Pont Mosta, application 'PA/01011/08' consisting of a building on the Wied il-Ghasel bank. The Mepa Case Status reads as follows " The appeal against the DCC/MEPA decision has been granted by the Planning Appeals Board. The original decision made by DCC/MEPA has been overturned." First Mepa refused to sanction the illegally built building as it was built on a sensitive part of the valley, but then, on appeal, it sactioned it with the excuse that his neighbour, who also had built his building illegally, has had his building sanctioned as Ok. Shame on you Mepa.
Claire Grech
Sep 7th 2010, 18:16
They're just 2 rooms in the middle of a main road causing traffic accidents. I just laughed when i read this article
T Camilleri
Sep 7th 2010, 18:29
Claire Grech whatever it consists of it is his HOME and the government and authorities should respect it. Why does the incompetent and arrogant TM want to destroy people to make a road?
Claire Grech
Sep 7th 2010, 18:38
I want to see what your comments will be when someone dies at this blind corner. The owner should be given another house to live in but these rooms cannot stay where they are. Too many accidents happened already.
T Camilleri
Sep 8th 2010, 11:43
Claire Grech then close that part of the road and shift it to one side. Why should old houses be destroyed because TM sometimes dream about some destruction of the day that they want to do? By the way, do you have a personal interest in seeing this house and HOME of another person destroyed seeing that you have such eagerness in this madness?
Philip borg
Sep 7th 2010, 18:03
Mr Darmanin is only a poor individual who, like many others on other issues, is trying to combat the might of govt authorities/agencies. Very very strangely THE authority entrusted with conservation turns teethless..... ghax fil-linja tal-poter assolut, kappell ma jmejjilx lill-iehor!!!
Triq San Anton Abbati forms part of thewondeful village core in Mosta, which has lately become a rubbish dump with concrete lifeless cubicles replacing elegant centuries-old architecture.. rendering our village cores the haven for money-makers...
We hear of so many "cultural & historic societies" in Mosta... sometimes they "save" a wayside chapel in the wilderness... but they become dumb in the case of this massacre!!!
They seem to have become speechless in the face of this official VANDALISM!!!!
What a shame that our national heritage is being handled by villians in top posts of power!!! and adding insult to injury, 'sopra corna bastonate', we pay for their lavish thousands of perks!!
Once upon a time there was what used to be called "Conscience"!!!! Fadal min jiftakarha???
Pawlu Agius
Sep 7th 2010, 19:50
YOU COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER! Mosta has been systematically destroyed in the past 30-40 years. Many punic / roman tombs in Santa Margerita / Speranza /Zokrija area were destroyed by buildings. Wied il-Ghasel valley, which used to be renowned for its numerous springs (amongst them many GrandMasters), has been transformed into a desert - with the buildings reaching both banks and replacing the nearby fields, rain water can no longer seep slowly through the rocks, but instead finds itself in the roads, and goes with full force into the valley, dragging and destroying everything. And Mepa does not have the decency of safeguarding the few remaining fields - currently the usual bunch of garages and flats are replacing a field in Triq il-Bronz (excavation works showed deep cracks within the rocks).
J. Borg
Sep 7th 2010, 17:54
So, when you apply for a permit either to change facade or emeolish an old house to build a new one, MEPA issues an impending order stopping you from doing this.
Now, we have transport malta applying to demolish a 150 year old house to make way for a road.
In what country are we living?
Dave Alan Caruana
Sep 7th 2010, 17:44
the Maltese Vogons are at it again .. would be better if they fixed the roads we have first!
martin saliba
Sep 7th 2010, 17:40
Dont you know someone who could talk to someone who could talk to someone who could talk to someone who could talk to someone who cou..............................................................................................................................
J S Borg
Sep 7th 2010, 17:39
Some years ago my family had the bad news were buldozing my mothers house without the knowledge of my sister who occupied the house. The reason to have 30m new road and the layout is as follows street, bandclub, street, two house and another street. Wonder of wonders malta really produces excellent town planners as well as cultural conservationists.
George Brincat
Sep 7th 2010, 17:39
Solidarity with the owner - Transport Malta should first prove to the tax payer that it is capable of maintaining and managing the current road network before thinking of creating new roads at the cost of demolishing peoples homes. I dont think this should be a hard decision for the courts to decide
Michael Pace
Sep 7th 2010, 17:31
Thought scheduling meant conserving.
N.Lawrence
Sep 7th 2010, 17:27
Sorry, mate. But this protest will not stop Gonzi's dictatorship from doing it's dirty work.
Joseph E Briffa
Sep 7th 2010, 17:19
What a shame it would be if a 150 year-old house is demolished to make way for a street? Don't we have enough streets crossing each other at times every 30/50 metres or so? There are streets flanked by a mere 6 or 8 house facades making up 100/120 feet in total. Do we know what we are doing?.
JOe VELLa
Sep 7th 2010, 17:47
It seem I am only the wise guy! Don't you know how important it is to built new roads! With new roads everybody is happy. HA!
Our fathers used to built narrow roads to save the fields (remember the place were we grow food) today we built roads to keep the boys repairing and busy. As for the old houses and fields who need them!