Cospicua loses bid to halt Vittoriosa works

An attempt by the Cospicua council to halt regeneration works in neighbouring Vittoriosa was thrown out by a court yesterday after it failed to prove its case.

The council filed its application for an injunction against the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs, Transport Malta and the Director General of the Works Division.

The work in Vittioriosa includes the rehabilitation of Couvre Porte.

The council asked the First Hall of the Civil Court to stop the authorities from carrying on with works on 8th December Road in Cospicua on the basis that it had not been consulted about works taking place in its locality.

Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKeon noted that the project for the rehabilitation of Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa involved the restoration of the fortifications within Vittoriosa. Part of this project was for the excavation of a ditch and for the reduction of traffic in the locality.

Some of the roads affected by this project were situated in Cospicua and the Cospicua council claimed it ought to have been consulted about works in its locality. However, the court ruled that the Cospicua council had not been ignored by the authorities even though consultations had taken place with the Vittoriosa local council.

This project was public knowledge even before the requisite planning permit was applied for.

This notwithstanding, the Cospicua council had failed to register its opposition to the permit application within the legal time limit.

The court, therefore, ruled that there was no basis for the issue of the warrant and dismissed the council’s application.