Mepa decisions welcomed

Din l-Art Helwa has welcomed the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s recent decisions to refuse to sanction various illegal developments and extensions outside the development zones, including extensions to a petrol station outside Qormi, and stables near Rabat.

As with the petrol station at Qormi, when permits were granted in ODZ areas, the initial permit frequently led to pressure for extensions to the buildings and an increase in footprint over time, the environment NGO said.

This was one of various reasons why building permits must not be granted in ODZ areas if the new direction of ‘zero tolerance’ in ODZ areas was to be followed, it added.

Recent NSO statistics showed that between 1990 and 2005 alone, ODZ building permits almost doubled from 4.9 % to 9.5 % of the total land area.

Din l-Art Helwa said it also welcomed the new measure in the MEPA reform process which would no longer allow new applications for sanctioning in ODZ areas to be submitted.