Updated - Environment NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar expressed alarm today over land grab 'of unprecedented proportions' and launched a petition.
Earlier, Din l-Art Helwa suggested that notices affixed to property seeking sanctioning of illegal development should be red, and not green like ordinary development applications.
Din l-Art Helwa said it was concerned by the increasing number of illegal developments taking place on public land and in other areas, in particular in the countryside and on the coast.
"Din l-Art Helwa is concerned about the lack of enforcement action taken by the authorities in proportion to the illegalities committed and urges government to step up its resources to curb the rise in abuse," it said in a statement.
It called on Mepa to publish statistics on reported abuse, enforcement action taken, and how many sites, if any, were returned to their natural state.
"Mepa site notices of planning applications awaiting approval of sanctioning, currently affixed to sites printed in the standard green, should be printed in red. In this way the public can be made aware that an illegal action has taken place on the site and that its owner by applying for sanction has admitted to abuse," it said.
It added that Mepa should publish all development applications requesting sanctioning of building illegalities on a separate public listing both on its website and in the national media.
FAA PETITION
Meanwhile, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar noted that the Structure Plan states:
“The countryside and the coast are two of the nation's most valuable natural resources. Recognising this, the Planning Authority will rigidly control development of the countryside and coast in general.
"Public access around the coastline immediately adjacent to the sea or at the top of cliffs will be secured. This will include taking shore-lands into public ownership, Government acquisition of illegal developments and encroachments…All the coastline will be brought into public ownership within a specified period."
In spite of all these ringing declarations, FAA said, Malta was continuing to see a grab of public land of unprecedented proportions in areas ranging from San Blas, Marsalforn, Comino, Mellieha, Bugibba, Sliema, Ta’ Xbiex, Vittoriosa and Marsascala, some of them totally abusive and others, such as the 'outrageous' privatisation of the Ta' Xbiex gardens, initiated by the authorities.
The Gozitan coastline was especially targeted, as restaurants took over the promenades at Marsalforn and Xlendi as well as il-Kantra Bay in Mġarr ix-Xini. San Blas had suffered encroachment, boathouses had flourish at Daħlet Qorrot and Dwejra, and the proposals for Ħondoq ir-Rummien still threatened the whole area.
The FAA said that with the support of Ramblers and Friends of the Earth (Malta) is is running a petition, now standing at over 750 signatures, being sent to the Prime Minister, asking him to protect public spaces.
The signatures are also being sent to Mepa as objections to the proposed hotel lido extension at Ferro Bay, Sliema and can be signed at:
https://www.change.org/p/dr-joseph-muscat-protect-malta-s-public-spaces