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10 COMMERCIAL 2.9.2021 Planning Authority closes off a number of A number of illegal develop- ment cases carried out in ODZ areas in Malta and Gozo have been closed off during the past weeks. is, after officers work- ing within the Planning Author- ity's Compliance & Enforcement Directorate intervened and put pressure on the contraveners to remove the illegal development or face further action. In Malta, four ODZ sites, in Triq il-Wardija, San Pawl il- Baħar, in Sqaq Taċ-Ċawla and Triq il-Ġarġir, limits of Rabat (Malta), and a corner site in Triq ix-Xgħajra/Triq Agatha Barbara in Żabbar were being used for the illegal dumping of scrapped vehicles, contain- ers, construction waste, and the storing trucks and boats without the necessary permis- sions. These were all removed, and the sites were reinstated to their original use. Similarly, in Gozo, an agricul- tural site off Triq Borġ Għarib, limits of Għajnsielem, which was illegally being used for the parking of commercial vehi- cles, was cleared out. Several rooms and structures at a multitude of sites, in Mal- ta and Gozo, which were built without development per- mission on arable land were demolished by the respective contraveners and the sites are now being used again for ag- ricultural purposes. These rooms were located at a site off Triq il-Mellieħa, Mellieħa, in Triq ta' Ħal Farruġ, Luqa; in Triq id-Deheb Fin, limits of Qormi, and in an area known as Tax-Xieref in Għaxaq. In Gozo, the sites were in Triq ta' Ħamet and Triq il-Kav. Lorenzo Zam- mit Haber, Xewkija, and in Triq Ġużeppi Grech in Xagħra. Compliance & enforcement officers also obliged a contra- vener who built, in an uncon- ventional manner, a lengthy stretch of rubble wall along the countryside in the outskirts of Għajnsielem, to dismantle the wall and reconstruct the ħajt tas-sejjieħ using the traditional methodology. During 2020, the Compliance & Enforcement Directorate re- ceived 3,313 complaints from various sources, alleging ille- gal development. Following the necessary investigations, in 55% of the cases, the Authority found that illegal development was being carried out. The Directorate was com- pelled to issue 145 enforcement notices resulting from these complaints received, whilst in 45% of the cases the contra- veners themselves complied or removed the illegalities, before further action being taken. AFTER: Site in Triq il- Mellieha, Mellieha BEFORE: Site in Triq il-Mellieha BEFORE: Site at Triq il-Wardija, San Pawl il-Bahar AFTER: Site at Triq il-Wardija, Pawl il-Bahar BEFORE: Site at Triq id- Deheb Fin, Qormi AFTER: Site at Triq id- Deheb Fin, Qormi

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