Illegal trenching works by Enemalta on the tiny protected island of Comino were stopped by the planning authority, which served the corporation with an enforcement notice.

The excavation works, carried out without a planning authority permit, were stopped earlier this month, a spokesman for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said.

Heavy machinery was shipped to Comino, which is classified as a special area of conservation, for the excavation works, which almost cut across the 3.5 square kilometre island.

The trench is about 10 centimetres wide, 30 to 40 centimetres deep and about 1.6 kilometres long.

It follows the route of the existing cable trench from the landing point of the submarine cable on Comino to its direct supply on the island.

The trench was dug up to carry out repairs on a damaged electricity cable that supplied Gozo and works started after the corporation received a trenching permit from Transport Malta, an Enemalta spokesman explained. The spokesman said anyone who wanted to excavate a trench in public areas or “rights of way”, that is roads, tracks, or footpaths, among others, must obtain a trenching permit.

“However, as soon as the stop notice was issued by the planning authority, works ceased immediately. No damage was caused because the trenching works follow the route of an existing trench excavated in the early 1980s,” the spokesman said.

“As with all trenching works, the site will be reinstated to its former condition,” the corporation added. Meanwhile, the planning authority spokesman said the matter was being investigated.