Mepa’s Enforcement Directorate has carried out direct action to remove illegal development in Safi, Siggiewi, Zebbug, Rabat and Ghajnsielem.
The authority said in a statement that, in the first case, an inspection was carried out on a site in the area known as Tal-Karwija, limits of Safi. Two large stores and a number of smaller rooms had been constructed without a permit, while scrap and other material had also been dumped on site.
Two of the stores were being used for disused vehicles and to accommodate a substantial amount of other material.
Prior to demolishing the illegal structures, the authority removed all the material from the site. As the owner cooperated, the authority gave him a few days chance to remove the remaining illegalities himself. It is monitoring the site to ensure that all the illegalities will be removed.
Along the remote cliff-edge overlooking Wied il-Kbir, in Triq Għar Ħanzir, limits of Siġġiewi, Mepa officers removed an illegally built room and boundary wall together with a number of precast concrete slabs.
In another ODZ site, adjacent to Fort Binġemma, limits of Rabat, the authority demolished an illegally constructed room which had been roofed with metal sheets and was being used as a store for scrap, tyres and other material.
Mepa officers reduced the height of a number of rural boundary walls which had been constructed beyond the permitted level and demolished an illegally built brick wall along a large rural site in Zebbug. The remaining illegal structures and a room were removed by the contravenors.
A number of enforcement actions were taken in the area known as Ta’ Lambert, close to the Heliport, in Ghajnsielem.
Assisted by the Gozo Police, the first enforcement action was taken in Triq Ta' Bwier were Mepa officers removed inert material, large concrete slabs and stones that had been dumped in a field.
Later in the week, the enforcement team returned to the site as more material had been dumped. An illegal room adjacent to the site along the roadside was also demolished.
Meanwhile in the Tal-Briegħen area, the authority started demolishing another two illegal rooms.
The operation had to be stopped due to the presentation of prohibitory injunction by the land owner.
However, by the time the injunction was served, most of the rooms had already been demolished.
Further actions are envisaged in Ghajnsielem, renowned for its lawless development and dumping, Mepa said.