3 comments so far.Illegal encroachment at the Ghajnsielem Belvedere – FAA
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As part of its efforts to protect residents’ rights, last year Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) made representations to the Lands Dept in the name of Ghajnsielem residents who were protesting about the encroachment of the local belvedere for the extension of the Grand Hotel.
On the advice of their architect, the Authorities consistently denied that the developers had invaded public property. However following protracted negotiations, an independent expert who was brought in confirmed that there had in fact been encroachment on the part of the developer.
The Lands Department is now taking legal action against the developer, however because of the risk of destabilising the belvedere, demolition of the offending structure is not being contemplated.
While FAA appreciates the Lands Department’s efforts to ascertain the facts and take legal action, it is regretted that the developer will be permitted to enjoy the encroachment subject to financial compensation. It is hoped that adequate compensation will be set at today’s market prices, together with a fine for abusive usurpation of a public space.
It is also outrageous that the hotel’s abusive construction included demolition of the ramp which allowed disabled people to enjoy this public space, since a wall of the abusive building was built on the footprint of the ramp. FAA calls on the National Commission for Persons with Disability to take action on this situation which has been causing hardship for far too long.
It is regretted that this abusive project was handled by an architect who is a member of Parliament who has overseen damage to the belvedere, the lack of repairs for 24 months and the use of the belvedere as a building materials yard, depriving the public of its use for all this time.
One asks where the Chamber of Architects’ Ethic Committee, the legal guarantor of architectural ethics, stands on such behaviour by one of its members.
Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar – www.faa.org.mt
Well done FAA it looks like here in Gozo we are a banana republic Let`s see what the outcome will be
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The same is happening at Ta Muxi in Qala with Mepa issuing a stop notice after a long time .This contractor dumbed and destroyed a lot of virgin land .Mepa only issued a stop notice when it was too late
.If Mepa is serious it should make the contractor clean it all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSuJRlorrxg
Thank you FAA For stopping this work.The Mepa should stop this work along time ago.What is going on in Gozo because they have friend & money do everything they want!!!!!!!.We want a permit to build where we can live and there are houses serround us they never give it to us and this is in the same village.You know why because we don’t have money and big shots!!!!!!!!!.Wake up Mepa you been sleeping Too .Don’t let money talks OK
So on the one hand a Gozitan quarry owner is fined €100,000 and ordered to return the sites back to their original state within three months. Something, which I think everyone agrees, is impossible. Yet in this case the illegal development encroaching on the belvedere in Ghajnsielem is being allowed to stay because of the risk of destabilising the belvedere itself. This gives the impression that someone is being protected in this case. Question is who is doing the protection and why? The excuse about destabilising the belvedere is just that, an excuse and a very lame one at that. It is common today for entire buildings to be underpinned in order to provide strengthening and stabilizing of the foundation so I fail to see why the same process cannot be applied in this case to stabilise the belvedere before removing the offending structure. Am I missing something here?