The owners of more than half a tumolo of expropriated land near the Unesco world heritage site of Ta’ Ħaġrat, in Mġarr, were given €305,000 in public funds as compensation, Times of Malta has learnt.

The government confirmed that a deal was reached with the owners and compensation had already been paid.

“The compensation to the owners of the expropriated land was paid on February 13, 2015,” a spokesman for planning Parliamentary
Secretary Michael Falzon said.

“The total compensation paid including bank interests for the expropriated site having an area of 877 square metres amounted to €305,230.”
The controversy goes back to September 2013 when Mepa issued a permit for the construction of a villa on a site metres away from the Ta’ Ħagrat megalithic temples. Despite objections by environmental groups, Mepa confirmed the permit on appeal. The site was then expropriated.

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