A senior official at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has been asked to resign following a botched development which caused a road to collapse at Santa Maria Estate in Mellieħa.
Environment Minister George Pullicino asked Mepa deputy chairman Catherine Galea to step down since her post became "untenable", the minister's spokesman told The Sunday Times last night. Sources said she is expected to hand in her resignation tomorrow.
The issue came to light recently when Santa Marija estate residents alerted environment NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) that a bridge at the foot of the valley had collapsed following the floods.
FAA spokesman Astrid Vella explained that residents had complained that bulldozing had gone beyond the permitted footprint of a bungalow in Ms Galea's name.
Ms Vella said that the development should never have gone ahead, particularly since the case officer had recommended the case for refusal.
According to the Case Officer's report, part of the site is outside the development zone (ODZ) as it overlaps part of the valley, which is a green area of conservation value.
According to the case officer's report, Ms Galea also ignored Mepa's requests to submit new plans. Nevertheless, the DCC board decided to process the application in its original form. And the DCC board dealing with ODZ applications was chaired by Ms Galea at the time the application was submitted.
Ms Vella said that since its inception, the FAA has been campaigning against such conflicts of interest at the authority.
Residents claimed that a protected green area had been disturbed after the contractor had bulldozed a road through the wooded area and dumped tons of rubble to gain access for heavy machinery. When the works blocked the waterway causing the valley to flood, large concrete caissons were put in place and a bridge was built over the stream. Several trees were destroyed in the process and the protected area laid to waste, Ms Vella explained.
The road had also ended up in a dangerous state, leaving parts of Santa Marija estate with limited access. However, Environment Ministry officials reacted promptly and were soon seen on site taking stock of the situation.
Ms Vella said that the FAA had been in regular contact with the Environment Ministry ever since it was approached by Santa Maria residents.
"The ministry took a proactive approach and we appreciate very much that the minister has taken such a courageous decision, which could not have been easy for him. We augur that this is a sign that such conflicts of interest will no longer be tolerated at Mepa," she said.