The Malta Environment and Planning Authority this evening responded to the statement by Flimkien Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) “whereby they claimed that MEPA failed to take immediate action to protect the garden enclaves of a historical property situated in Balzan.”

The Authority said that it “would like to point out that it refused planning permission for a development project to be carried out at this site. Moreover, it had also issued an Emergency Conservation Order scheduling this Grade 2 property and its extensive gardens for its significant historical architectural and contextual values.”

MEPA said, “through this Emergency Conservation Order, the Authority obliged the owner to repair the damaged parts and identify the other areas that need repairs most urgently. The Authority only gave its consent for the restoration of a number of historical features to take place. MEPA immediately issued an enforcement notice when it was alerted that the contractor started to remove trees from the protected garden. MEPA is conscious of the importance of green enclaves in village cores and considers such infringements very seriously.”

MEPA continued by saying that it “is currently finalising the legal notice which will regulate the introduction on the new daily fines and penalties. This legal notice was issued for public consultation last year and was later subject to various discussion meetings before a Parliamentary Committee.”

“The introduction of these new fines and penalties will tighten MEPA’s enforcement by dissuading and penalising persons from carrying out illegal development.” MEPA concluded.

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