Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat has lambasted the Planning Authority for failing to act on the building of a road on ODZ land despite the council flagging the abuse.
Visibly annoyed by what he described as an apparent lack of action in the face of blatant abuse, Mr Muscat told the Times of Malta that residents had told him some weeks ago that a pathway on land outside development zone, leading to Wied Għomor, had been cleared and paved.
According to the mayor, photos of the area before it was cleared showed that some 80 metres of the paved part, just off just Triq il-Kaffis, was on ODZ land. A protected carob tree in the vicinity was also savagely chopped down.
“Some weeks ago we were informed by residents who live in the area that a pathway leading to a derelict illegal building had been cleared up and that a road had been built.
“When we reported the issue to the Planning Authority, they sent enforcement officers to investigate but that’s it, we haven’t heard anything since and no action has been taken,” Mr Mifsud said.
The mayor said that he did not know who was behind the works, insisting that such investigations should not be carried out by the council but by the authorities responsible.
He added that the level of the road was about a metre higher than that of the footpath.
“The officers should have at least informed us whether this is legal or not, even though we are certain that it is on ODZ land,” Mr Mifsud went on.
This newspaper reported last month that an unprecedented number of applications for new developments at Wied Għomor had been submitted to the Planning Authority.
At least seven applications in the ODZ area at the peaceful valley between Swieqi and San Ġwann have been approved by the Planning Authority in the past year alone. Two others were withdrawn following negative feedback from the authority.
A number of other applications have been rejected but are subject to appeals by developers.
The Swieqi council is currently involved in five separate appeals, which include a proposal for a 133-room home for the elderly in an existing quarry. This was unanimously rejected by the PA board last May amid a public outcry.
“We feel that there are people who are actively working in favour of the developers.
“Do you know of any action being taken anywhere? Who is defending citizens during this craze to develop every metre of land?” Mr Muscat asked.
Mr Muscat added that the council had few options available to it, insisting he had no executive powers and it was up to the authorities to take action.
“I can only talk. If I had the power, I would have this removed immediately and make whoever is responsible restore the place to its original state,” he said.
claire.caruana@timesofmalta.com