An illegally built petrol station, which was ordered to close twice due to flagrant development illegalities, is now in operation after the planning authority changed its policy and granted the owner three-year “temporary clearance”.

Located on the outskirts of Qormi, the J. Gaffarena Service station was sealed off by Mepa officials in 2008 when the developer went beyond the approved planning permission obtained two years previously for the construction of a petrol station.

After defying an enforcement order by the authority and opening for business, Mepa officials returned to the site in September 2009, sealing off its entrance and once again closing down the petrol station.

However, with the enforcement notice still in place for various illegal structures – including an extra top floor – the petrol station this week reopened after Mepa granted “temporary clearance” for 36 months.

According to Mepa, these new provisions were issued for projects, which contained infringements within the same permitted development.

More on timesofmalta.com Premium http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140320/local/Illegally-built-petrol-site-s-3-year-approval.511328

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