The planning authority yesterday defended its decision to grant a permit for the development of apartments and garages in the Mosta valley, saying the area was within the development zone.
NGOs and Mosta residents on Thursday protested against the building of 26 apartments and garages in Wied il-Għasel but the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said it had acted within the parameters of the law.
It said that, in 2004, it granted an outline development permit to demolish an existing dwelling and build an old people’s home, which included a considerable area outside the development zone.
At the time, Mepa insisted the development would only be permitted within the development boundaries. Eventually, an outline permit was issued for deve-lopment on the same site, within development schemes.
It said that although the outline development permit was issued for an old people’s home and the full development permit was granted for the construction of apartments, both uses were acceptable within development boundaries.
Mepa said the NGOs were wrong to assume its decision threatened the girna on site. Moreover, permit conditions included a €50,000 bank guarantee and a condition to restore the girna.
The regulator decision is subject to an appeal pending before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, which is completely independent of Mepa.
“It is pertinent to note that under the provisions of the Development Planning Act, most of which have been repealed, a third-party appeal does not suspend the execution of a development permit,” it said.
It added: “Under the provisions of the new Environment and Development Planning Act, in case of an appeal involving a site that lies in ODZ or in a protected area, in a case of a scheduled property (level 1 or 2), in a property where there is archaeology or in cases of demolition of facades in UCA, the execution of a development permit is suspended pending such an appeal.”
It pointed out that this particular case was determined much before the new legislative and administrative procedures came into force.
It welcomed active participation by residents and NGOs and said it listened to their concerns.
“However, Mepa is an institution that is mandated to act within the parameters of existing laws and policies and in this case it has acted entirely within these parameters,” it said.