New legal notices to introduce fines for illegal development
Legal notices which will introduce new daily fines for illegal development are to be published by Mepa today and they will become effective on November 24.
Addressing a media briefing this morning, CEO Ian Stafrace the notices will provide the authority with more tools for better enforcement.
Although the new fines will only apply to illegalities committed after November 24, any illegality after this date on an old site would also be subject to a fine. The fines are incremental but capped at a maximum of €50,000.
Mr Stafrace said the idea was to create a deterrent. The authority would rather people complied to the law than break it and face the fines.
He said that the authority will also be issuing a warning notice for any illegality committed between now and November 24 in a bid to create more awareness.
When the enforcement notice is issued, the daily fine would be specified and this would kick in within 16 days.
When one applied to sanction an illegality, the fine would continue and if the application is approved the applicant would have to pay either the sanctioning fee or the fine, whichever is the higher.
Mr Stafrace noted that the daily fine did not preclude direct action.
He also spoke about the possibility, in future, to link the Land Registry with Mepa so that banks and notaries would find out, during their research, if a property had a particularly grave enforcement order on it.
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Jimmy Ventura
Aug 24th 2012, 23:08
Jiena nahseb illi il-Prim imissu jlaqqgha l-kabinett mill aktar fis halli jaghzlu numru ta' konsulenti biex jaghmalu studju profound ta’ din il-ligi u meta? ilestuh jaghdduh lura lil kabinett.
Konsulent ghandu jistudja meta ghandha tkun id-data effettiva (biex jirbah xi ftt voti)
Konsulent iehor irid johrog bi skuzi tajbin ghalhiex il-gvern qed jaghti cans lil min irid jikser il-ligi sa l-24 ta' Novembru. Irid jistudja wkoll min huma dawk li se jiksru l-ligi minn issa sa l-24 ta' Novembru u jekk isib li huma tal-klikka isimhom jinzamm sigriet.
Konsulent iehor irid jistudja l-effett fuq l-ekonomija tal-multi proposti,
L-ahhar espert irid jaghzel min se jkunu l-esperti.
B'hekk ikunu gawdew hafna nies u nholqu ftit impjiegi ohra.
D Vella
Aug 24th 2012, 14:44
It is not the remit of a Notary to find out if a property has an enforcement on it, it is the remit of a Perit and ALL Notaries involved in drawing up contracts involving the transfer of ownership or rental of immovable property should be OBLIGED to engage a Perit to conduct the appropriate planning research!
Mr Tony Gatt
Aug 24th 2012, 15:06
Some notaries don't seem to do much for their money. An English friend bought a flat and only after he paid the money did he find out the previous owners hadn't paid groundrent (cens) for years. He couldn't get the deeds until he had paid it. The notary told him it wasn't his job to check it out!
C Muscat
Aug 24th 2012, 17:10
It is not the remit of a Notary to check re enforcement; but it is the Notary to write the normal clauses including the responsability (on th seller) of having the property according to law.
What is the remit of a Notary when he is supposed to be working for the buyer and in fact he will be writing the agreements for the sellers.
This is not done by all notaries; but in many cases these will be named because they ahve all the documents already; I think this should not be the case because in such cases the notary will be having a conflict.
Joe Grech
Aug 24th 2012, 14:43
Why will the fines be applicable ONLY to illegalities committed AFTER November 24th?
Mr. Prime Minister, inform the population if you personally find this situation acceptable. Do you put the interests of the Party before the Needs of the Nation? Do you accept a situation where illegalities committed before this date will not be penalised and put right? Is this the just way to rule a nation? Oh come on!
The sooner this administration goes the bettter for the environment! MEPA is just a tool in the hands of the politicians.
Mr Tony Gatt
Aug 24th 2012, 15:01
That's so all the illegal 'boathouses' get to stay.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Aug 24th 2012, 15:08
I too wondered where this date came from. Presumably, it will be after the next general election so that Labour will be saddled with this law and make them unpopular with contractors. Don't forget that the PN has told us it is poor - it needs its old friends to come back.
Joe Grech
Aug 24th 2012, 14:34
It is only because an election is round the corner that this administration would have voters believe that it is responsible and MEPA has been reformed. But people know that this is just hogwash meant to obtain people's votes.....Sad....and irresponsible.
Ian Stafrace we draw your attention to what's going on in lower Triq l-Imhar in Qawra. Do go and see for yourself the dangerous state in a basement at no 73 or thereabouts. Has this situation been approved by the Authority? Very probably not.....
People living nearby are afraid the three storeys built on top of a beam that has been introduced will probably give way and people will be killed.
Do send your enforcement officers before a calamity happens. Is the Minister for MEPA reading this????
Carmel Camilleri
Aug 24th 2012, 14:32
But why effective on 24th November.? Why all this delay? Even such a little matter takes us long?
Joseph N. Attard
Aug 24th 2012, 14:20
I will only attribute credibility to MEPA and to higher lawmakers when they dismantle the Armier, St Thomas Bay and other illegal LARGE developements.
Anthony A. Mifsud
Aug 24th 2012, 13:50
Ian, too little too late
are we living on the same rock? I very much so dought it
I wonder if these people live in out space, may be I am spaced out I am beging to wonder now!
Look around you and you see nothing but illegal dwelings not just Armier u Mellieha, all over Malta the Rock.
Issa waslet election u who is going to stir the silt.?
Ninu
Lawrence Fenech
Aug 24th 2012, 13:40
Ha ha ha ha ha, this calls for legal laughter.
Martin Formosa
Aug 24th 2012, 13:26
I hope this law applies to the so called boathouses in Qawra or as I call them favelas because they remind me of the slums in Rio De Janiero. All along from the edge of the canal all the way to Fra Ben, it is a disgrace especially in the hub of the tourist area.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Aug 24th 2012, 15:09
No definitely not. GonziPN has made sure the boathouses remain there - untouchables. This law does not apply them.
D. Xerri
Aug 24th 2012, 13:25
Good Morning - to the new regulations - M`hemmx Ghaggla ta stajna stennejna forsi sa t-2015 jew min jaf sa t-2020 :~) hux vera
E. De Marco
Aug 24th 2012, 13:17
If the authorities would really fine ALL those who have infringed the law regarding illegal development, PAST & PRESENT, our present deficit would be halved.........
alfred seguna
Aug 24th 2012, 13:11
Does this mean that all those illegal buildings before this date will be blessed as if no irregularity occurred?I think that this is not justice.Come on any illegality whether before or after that date remains illegalityJustice must be the same for all.
Joseph Brincat
Aug 24th 2012, 13:06
New legal notices to introduce fines for illegal development
will become effective on November 24 ???
WAY IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FROM THE 24 NOVEMBER ON WARDS ONLY ???
IS IT BECAUSE OF LOUSING VOTES ????
david debattista
Aug 24th 2012, 12:39
STOP ALL YOUR PROPAGANDA AND DO THE RIGHT THING! ENFORCE THE LAW ESPECIALLY
IN GOZO !!!!!!! EVERYBODY DOES WHAT HE WANT !
E. Azzopardi
Aug 24th 2012, 12:25
We have millions of legal notices. The problem with us lies in enforcement.
One minister has issued a legal notice about cigarettes. If, (repeat IF) you are caught throwing a cigarette on the ground, you are fined LM25 at that time. Everywhere you go you see cigarettes lying about. I have never seen someone being fined or heard of it. There are a thousand other examples.
So, once we say something with such hoohaa, let us execute. Some hope!!!!
Jay Oatmon
Aug 24th 2012, 12:15
I would hope this would still apply to the Armier illegal shanty towns?
mark johnson
Aug 24th 2012, 13:16
Did you ever go to Armier?
It's like a ghetto.
If it keeps those types of people out of the way of the rest of us, then let them be.
D. Xerri
Aug 24th 2012, 13:22
I hope so - BUT I Honestly highly Doubt it !
Some are totally Untouchable in this Country while some are dealt with a Par Idejn Sodi !
Peter Murray
Aug 24th 2012, 11:58
I thought the concept of MEPA per se was to impose a "deterrent"?
Joseph Agius
Aug 24th 2012, 11:51
Are the elections scheduled for the 24th November? Making wrongdoers cough up for their abuses - over the last 4 years - will not earn the government many votes.
Joe Grech
Aug 24th 2012, 11:49
Din il-ligi tapplika ghal-gzira ta' Ghawdex??????, jew ghal boat houses biss
Stanley Vassallo
Aug 24th 2012, 11:47
Why capped at all?
Patrick Zammit
Aug 24th 2012, 12:33
That's very easy Stanley.
This is intended to scare the small fry. The large predators can comfortable take the fine in their stride and still make a profit.
c scudi
Aug 24th 2012, 11:43
Assume that this is going to apply to mainly the famous (boathouses).Brilliant watered down move..so basically,anything illegally built before today can stay!!am sure,if the rest of the population would have know,most would have gone a grabbed a piece of common land and quickly build on it..what a farce..
I wonder if this will also apply to all the squatters camps for next summer..
Reginald Borg
Aug 24th 2012, 11:40
Well done, MEPA!
U mela kulhadd jaghmel li jrid!
A. MICALLEF
Aug 24th 2012, 11:52
Fejnhom ta qabel ??? Sewwa hemm min sar miljunarju, u issa ser jghaddiha lixxa, hekk sew ?
Kontijiet ma ta qabel huwa importantissimu.
Martin Saliba
Aug 24th 2012, 11:25
Why capped at 50K Euros ? Less than 22K Maltese lira , a fair price to pay to sanction an illegal building. This is a wide open door for abuse and corruption.
C Muscat
Aug 24th 2012, 11:24
Jekk tridu li l-bini illegali jieqaf kull ma trid tghid hu li kull bini bhal dan ma jithalliex jibda u l-perit inkarigat jitnehhielu l-warrant ta peit ghal ghomru mal-ewwel; mill bqija kollu loghob bil-kliem u biex tghaddu z zmien bin-nies. wiehed aqwa mill-iehor....
fred sammut
Aug 24th 2012, 11:48
you gained my respect buddy
fred sammut
Aug 24th 2012, 11:11
boat house you mean???
john gauci
Aug 24th 2012, 11:06
What about those so called "boat houses/residencies". How about the big guys who seem to get away with it simply because they are big or powerful or connected or whatever. Just carry on picking on the small ones who might have a slight infringement and make a case by slapping on the fine and publicising it.
A. MICALLEF
Aug 24th 2012, 10:58
Irridu investigazzjoni ghal-hrug ta permessi llegali mill-bordijiet tal-Mepa u l-bordijiet ta
l-appelli. Dawn il-membri tal-bordijiet ma jisghax jkun ma jinzammux accountable u johorgu
scott free.
Mr phil sam
Aug 24th 2012, 10:49
Is there any where left to erect illegal structures ?.
So all existing illegal structures, including boathouses are to remain ?.
Emmanuel Ebejer
Aug 24th 2012, 10:58
Yawn!
Please choose the reason of your report below: