Foreign Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela has yet to produce a copy of the development permit authorising the construction of a timber veranda at his Żejtun residence three years ago.

The Planning Authority too has so far failed to give details on the matter and say whether the roof structure, built by government employees, is in conformity with the law.

Three seasoned architects told the Times of Malta the structure required a planning authority permit, at least in the form of a development notification order.

The residence is located in an urban conservation area and, according to planning laws, one would normally have to file a development application before such a structure could be built, they said.

According to the PA’s portal, the minister did not apply for a permit and, thus, the structure’s legality could be in doubt, the architects remarked.

Questions and reminders sent to the planning watchdog remain unanswered.

A PA spokesman last week first asked this newspaper for a site plan of the structure and then for a full map of the development. The Times of Malta sent the information at its disposal, including the address of Mr Abela’s residence, photographs of the structure taken by the minister himself and tabled in Parliament last week and a Google map indicating the exact location.

Residence is in a conservation area, and one normally files application for development

Yet no replies were forthcoming by the time of writing.

The Times of Malta asked for a copy of the planning permit application filed by the minister or his wife and whether such a development in an urban conservation area required a permit.

The Opposition is demanding Mr Abela’s resignation after The Sunday Times of Malta reported that the work at his private residence was done by government employees posted at the Home Affairs Ministry, which he headed at the time.

Mr Abela said the project had been coordinated by his wife and that ministry employees had done the work outside office hours. He insisted the structure was built on a Saturday morning and that the carpenter involved was not on ministry duty.

Receipts for the materials used show that they were bought on dates during regular office hours.

The only exception was the timber, which, according to a receipt, was bought on a Sunday at 11.30 pm. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has so far ignored calls for an independent inquiry.

The Times of Malta is informed that government employees were seen at the minister’s residence on other occasions too.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com