MEPA has said that it’s enforcement personnel moved in on a large site in the touristic area of Marsalforn which was illegally converted into a recreational and open storage area.
The site, which is situated outside the development zone (ODZ) and had been enclosed with a high 30 meter long boundary wall and gate, was housing a caravan, a boat, a makeshift structure, a BBQ area with a number of tables and chairs. Prior to finishing the entire operation and clearing off all the resultant debris, the Authority was notified to stop works following a prohibitory injunction that was presented to the Gozo Courts by the contravenor’s lawyer. The Authority said that it had to stop from clearing the entire area for at least another two weeks, when the court will hear the case.
Earlier on, the Authority said that it received notice that Magistrate Tonio Mallia had dismissed a prohibitory injunction that had been presented to the Maltese Courts by a land owner in a separate case the previous week. In this case, Mepa had been stopped from furthering a direct action operation on a building which was illegally developed in an ODZ area, known as Wied Betti in the limits of Gudja. The Court ruled that Mepa had the legal right to continue with its direct action operation according to law. MEPA is giving the contravenor a few days to take off the remaining illegalities himself, prior to intervening itself to eradicate the illegalities.