A man was fined €4,000 after he ignored Malta Environment Planning Authority enforcement notices and carried on with construction works on a protected site in an area known as Ix-Xagħra tal-Vigarju, limits of Rabat.

Oreste Galea, a Mepa enforcement officer, testified that when he arrived on site he found a rock cutter and a bulldozer and personally handed the enforcement notice to Christopher Borg who said he was responsible for the site.

Mr Galea said he issued the notice immediately because the site was protected for scientific and ecological reasons. The area had been scheduled in March 2005 and forms part of the coastal cliffs of Malta. Even though he had personally handed over the enforcement notice, Mr Borg continued to work, which is when the enforcement officer asked Mepa for an order to prosecute, he said.

René Attard, a scheduling officer with Mepa, told the court the site was of high landscape value and acted as a buffer zone for surrounding fields.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera said that Mr Borg had all the necessary remedies to protest the order for his land to be scheduled but it appears that he did not do so. For these reasons, he was fined €4,000 after the court took into consideration the value of the damage caused and the restoration costs.

Police Inspector Mario Haber prosecuted.