A civil court has ordered the Housing Authority to carry out structural repairs in a dilapidated Valletta property which is posing a threat to the neighbouring premises housing the legal office of the Environment Minister.

Minister Jose Herrera, owner of the premises at 51, St Christopher Street, Valletta had instituted civil proceedings in 2015 against the Gollcher Foundation owner of the building adjacent to and overlying his legal office.

He pleaded that the premises at 49, St Christopher Street, had degenerated into such a bad state of repair that they were presenting a real danger to the legal office next door.

After appointing architect Robert Musumeci to draw up a report on the structural works which were needed to eliminate the risk, Dr Herrera filed a civil suit requesting the court to order all necessary structural works to be undertaken in the next door rundown premises.

The First Hall, Civil Court, presided over by Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff, upheld the plea raised by the Gollcher Foundation which claimed that it had been dispossessed of its premises at 49, St Christopher Street, following a requisition order issued in February 1992, which requisition was still in force.

The court noted that possession of the said premises had been transferred to third parties who had lived in the property up to 2015.

By virtue of the said requisition, responsibility for the structural works needed in the property was to be shifted onto the Housing Authority which had also been joined in the suit.

The court, therefore, appointed architect Karl Cutajar to inspect the premises in question and to draw up a report within one month, indicating therein all remedial works which needed to be carried out.

The court said the Housing Authority has to undertake all structural works within three months or else grant access to the plaintiff to carry out the necessary repairs at the authority's expense.