Last Sunday’s newspapers were full of stories about Mepa. The chairman must be livid. Vince Cassar is an affable man, well-dressed and upright, with that stiff upper lip English civil servant look. Almost like Sir Humphrey Appleby in the Yes Minister series. He was, after all, a permanent secretary, like good old boy Sir Humphrey, some time ago.

I have been hammering Mepa for the last three years with regard to the proposed monstrosity that the planning authority has now permitted at San Ġwann, a monstrosity that will kill off the last remaining unspoilt area of the locality.

I have had to suffer twists and turns at the hands of Mepa because each and every argument raised by me, the official objector on behalf of some 400 families, has been simply ignored. Not contested. Ignored. Not by the chairman, who has always had the decency to respond no matter how often I confronted him, but by his organisation, Mepa, a dragon which has yet to find its St George.

Let me kick off by dragging the wily case officer in the ring. In the initial stages, I called at Mepa after the residents became aware of the grotesque building. In my initial contact with this gentleman I advised him that I would be recording the meeting set up at Mepa. “No problem”. The undersigned and another resident trotted off to the planning watchdog’s grandiose offices, brimming with high-tech wizardry (more later). First time there, you see.

It was not possible to see ‘everything’ in the file. Why? Mepa policy, that’s why. I realised it was going to be an uphill struggle. We struggled with the mountain of papers that had accumulated from 2004. Yes 2004 – a decade ago – when a very different set of plans existed.

Oh, and, sorry, no you cannot record the proceedings. I know I said you can but you cannot.

From the questions we asked we realised that this gentleman was simply not aware what the project was really all about and, so, we popped the obvious question: have you ever set foot on the site that you are unequivocally recommending. The answer? No, did not have the time. Incredible.

The planning authority bashes the small, pesky objector on the head

I was flabbergasted. So here we have a monstrous building ready to drown possible irreplaceable architectural issues and this gentleman had not even bothered to get to San Ġwann. That’s not exactly half way to the moon, is it? He had only seen it from a distance, while on his way from one place to another. Ludicrous.

Readers ought to bear in mind that, at this stage, the case officer had been recommending that Mepa should give its approval for the project to go ahead.

The resident accompanying me asked another simple question: are you sure that the proposed distance between the existing buildings and the proposed structure meet the statutory minimum distance?

I will get back to you on that one as have to ask the health authorities (at least, I believe that is who he wanted to check), Ask? Now? But this is all but a done deal, so why do these issues require clarification at such a late stage?

Then the chairman wonders why his Mepa is dragged through the mud at practically each and every corner. Without respite.

He also wonders why he is being pilloried because of the planning authority’s apparently inexcusable behaviour; with us ‘subspecies’, of course.

Mepa’s own regulations stipulate that residents have a right to sunlight. Has this been respected? No, it was ignored.

We commissioned an architect to do a time delay presentation on how the surrounding buildings would end up in darkness for far too long. That too was ignored.

We mentioned a 200-year-old farmhouse that was originally to be maintained but will now be demolished because it looked too old next to a ‘modern’ building. Our representation was ignored

What about the rubble walls which should be protected? Again, ignored.

Can you delve into the multitude of possible architectural and historical remains, we ask. Ignored.

What about our rights, in terms of Mepa’s own guidelines, to a decent environment? Ignored.

The plan is practically devoid of trees; just block after block. Were we not after greening the environment? Ignored.

San Ġwann local council wrote to Mepa, indicating that, at least, it had some sort of interest to ensure that residents’ aspirations are taken into account. But this too was ignored.

A professional and accredited Red Cross ambulance driver states that the design does not allow for an ambulance or, indeed, a fire engine to be able to turn around in the restricted alley. Ignored.

Transport Malta states that the project cannot go through as they need to first find a solution to the traffic issues leading to Sliema Road. We protested that this stand was ‘changed’ (to clarify, it was before 2013 and just ahead of the last election). Was this simply to accommodate the developer (or, more appropriately, the speculator)? Our protests were ignored.

Remember the hi-tech wizardry at the planning authority’s offices I was on about above? Here is some background.

Mepa claims to have sent me notification of the release of the permit, this by normal bog standard mail. Actually, it proved to be a non-executable permit, meaning the developer could not build on the strength of this. I never received this.

I called at their hi-tech offices to obtain a copy of the ‘original signed’ letter supposedly addressed to me. Nothing doing. They only hold correspondence ‘electronically’.

They don’t send such an important document by normal mail?

Well, sorry, but you have lost your right to appeal... so far. That’s the bottom line.

During one of Mepa’s two board meetings the speculator raised an objection to our objection. He had to move house three times, one of the reasons being that he himself had suffered similar high-rise buildings next to his residence/s. They did it to him and he did not grumble, so why can t he now do the same? Presumably, to us!

Also it was unfair of us to object to this application simply because he was last applicant (it took so long, you see) and it was the last remaining pristine area in San Ġwann.

Excuse me?

We are just citizens, Joe Public, a mere number and we very much value our right to a decent liveable clean environment. We cherish our heritage.

Planet of the Apes is fast becoming a better place than Mepa would allow in this minuscule island of ours.

The planning authority is toothless against the big boys and bashes the small, pesky objector on the head with jargon, rules, red tape, legalese and general dismissal.

That is the bottom line. That is the perception. It is what I have been told all along in my battle with this behemoth.

We cannot hope to win against a rich speculator with an entourage of architects, lawyers and whatnot and Mepa not lifting a finger to help the protestors. No chance.

That is why Mepa is generally despised by the gentry.

As Sir Humphrey would say: ‘yes minister’.

Stephen Saliba is a resident of San Ġwann and a registered objector to the Żbibu Lane project.