The Planning Authority has confirmed that it will no longer be insisting on enforcement action against the asphalting of an ‘illegal’ road in an environmentally sensitive area in Wied Qirda, limits of Siġġiewi, as it has now decided to lift the enforcement notice it issued 12 years ago.
The planning regulator, which in 2007 issued an enforcement notice “for the deposit and levelling of concrete in a valley without permit”, has now reversed its decision.
Asked to explain how something which was illegal in 2007 and was left for “pending direct action” by the authorities for such a long time suddenly became legal, a PA spokesman said: “The access existed prior to 1968 therefore it is committed and not illegal.
“Consequently, no action can be taken against the resurfacing of an existing access and so the enforcement notice has been withdrawn,” the spokesman said.
It is not yet known why it took the authority 12 years to lift its enforcement notice and why the ‘sudden’ change of heart.
The latest decision taken by the PA on this ‘illegality’ arrived after the Times of Malta asked the authority for an update on the unlawful tarmacking by Transport Malta of the illegal stretch of the valley pending enforcement.
Last summer, Times of Malta reported that Transport Malta had laid asphalt on a stretch of the valley bed at Wied Qirda, near Siġġiewi, formalising an ‘illegal’ road that had been subject to an enforcement notice since 2007.
The stretch of the valley, which forms part of a designated special area of conservation, was illegally covered in concrete around 2007, blocking a natural watercourse and forming a driveway from the connecting Triq tal-Għaqba to a nearby field.
It had also reported that, incidentally, the driveway leads to a house occupied by Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera, sister of Environment Minister José Herrera and her partner, OPM and Planning Authority consultant Robert Musumeci.
Read: The architect, the judge, the house and the illegal driveway
The farmhouse occupied by the couple was legally considered as an olive and wine production facility when an application was submitted in 2015 by the owner at the time (with Dr Musumeci as architect) for an “extension to dwelling and construction of swimming pool”.
Despite that the permit was recommended for refusal, the PA gave its green light. Although the formation of the ‘illegal’ road was made prior to Dr Musumeci’s acquisition of the farmhouse, the tarmac was laid only a few months ago.
When contacted, Dr Musumeci had told the Times of Malta that he had absolutely nothing to do with the tarmac works.
“I had no contact whatsoever with any Transport Malta official regarding any road works,” Dr Musumeci insisted.
“The works in question were presumably visible to all and sundry.”