4 comments so far.New MEPA procedures & penalty system starts next week
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New MEPA procedures and penalty system to curb illegal development comes into force next week. MEPA said that “few will argue against the need that our environment needs more protection. Land and natural resources on the Maltese Islands make the regulation of land use and activities affecting the environment very critical.”
The Authority is introducing a new set of regulations bring about substantial changes in the way MEPA executes its penalty system and will provide the Authority with an additional instrument to dissuade and combat illegal development.
From the 24th of November, 2012 there will be a Scheduling of Penalties Regulation. When applications to regularise breaches are accepted, penalties are applied prior to the issue of the development permit. These penalties, have increased substantially over the present ones. The breaches and their relevant penalties have been categorised into four schedules namely: –
– Schedule A: developments that are not in accordance with their respective development permission permits;
– Schedule B: developments without a development permission permit (whether in ODZ area or not);
– Schedule C & D: minor development and other offences.
This new legislation also outlines the daily fines that will start to be imposed on illegal or non-conforming developments.
In case of multiple illegalities on the same site at time of issue of an Enforcement Notice, the highest rate for the illegal development carried out after the coming into effect of these provisions, will be imposed
Illegalities in breach of existing Enforcement Notices, will be considered individually and additionally.
The daily fines will only be applicable for any irregularities carried out after the adoption of the new laws, whilst the new penalties will apply for the sanctioning of applications submitted after the coming into force of these Regulations.
A contravenor still holds the right to appeal against an enforcement notice at the Environment and Planning Tribunal. The daily fine takes effect 16-days after the enforcement notice would have been issued. During this period, a contravenor is obliged to remove the illegality.
For a full list of the fines and penalties please see here.
For more information, contact MEPA on 22902019 or visit the website on www.mepa.org.mt
Mepa Authority, first of all you have to enforce your own regulation , and then say Protecting Our Environment Together. Sacend go to Nadur Gozo and have a look at that burying place which is critically ruining the landscape of Gozo.
I have spent the last 7 years trying to get MEPA to force the owner of my building to comply with the current health,safety and planning regulations……….Good luck with extra regulations.!!!..
The garage next to mine is being rented to immigrants. The building permit states clearly that the garage is for private cars only. Moreover these immigrants installed a satellite dish in the street. I called mepa six times over the last 3 weeks. I even sent an e-mail including the photos of the satellite dish. Nobody came to investigate this matter. Where are the mepa enforecement officers? Where are the regulations? When are you going to take action mepa officers???????
Today the MEPA Board approved the application and issued a permit for the construction of a public belvedere at road level with an underlying football club in Triq Taht Putirjal, Victoria, which is within a Development Zone/Urban Conservation Area.
The hearing had been deferred twice, giving the applicant time to put in changes to the plans.
This approval was given even though the Cultural Panel had originally recommended to refuse permission because the proposal takes away from the environmental character of the existing belvedere.
Tourists waiting for their buses in the summer will no longer be able to sit quietly and enjoy their lunch and snacks on the existing tree lined belvedere and what is the most surprising is that a football club, which will presumably be serving drinks and food, is to be situated in what will eventually be a children’s play ground, where of course no smoking is allowed.
So much for MEPA getting their act together…..more bars we certainly do not need, we have enough drink related problems in central Victoria already, peaceful areas for tourists and children we do sorely need.
Thank you yet again MEPA for ignoring the local residents quality of life , maybe one day you will actually serve the people and not the developers, or is that just wishful thinking on my part…………..