The Labour Party has called for an investigation by the MEPA auditor over how the Development Control Commission decided to allow the demolition of a row of townhouses in Sliema so that they can be replaced by apartments.

Roderick Galdes, the MLP’s spokesman on planning, said this was another blow to the Maltese town character.

“There is no doubt that MEPA is being overcome by strong speculative interests and it is not achieving the necessary balance for sustainable development, even in historic cores which clearly deserve conservation,” Mr Galdes said.

Mr Galdes said there was no doubt that this case merited an investigation by the MEPA auditor over the way procedures were followed and how this site was removed from the Urban Conservation Zone in the final Local Plans for Sliema.

The case was also raised yesterday by Flimkien Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar.