MP drops bid to sanction illegal ‘caravan’ in yard

Labour MP Silvio Parnis has withdrawn a planning application to sanction a wooden structure he built illegally in St Paul’s Bay.

The planning authority last year issued an enforcement order for the removal of the structure, which is in a private yard. Subsequently, Mr Parnis filed an application to regularise his position.

However, when the decision came up for consideration this week, the planning board was informed that the application had been withdrawn. This means the structure will have to be removed in line with the enforcement order.

Mr Parnis had claimed the one-bedroom wooden structure was a caravan but the case officer had disagreed because it lacked wheels, which prevented it from being towed by a vehicle.

The case officer had recommended a refusal since the structure did not comply with sanitary laws and regulations.

Mr Parnis had defended his actions claiming he did not know that erecting a wooden structure “in a garden” required a planning permit.

Contacted yesterday Mr Parnis told The Times to phone at a different time but subsequent attempts to get in touch proved futile.