Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1468621
9 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 25 MAY 2022 Illegal developments, construction waste cleared from ODZ sites Concrete pathways, illegal dumping and make-shift rooms were among the offences NICOLE MEILAK THE Compliance and Enforce- ment Directorate within the Planning Authority (PA) closed off a number of illegal develop- ment cases, ranging from built- up rooms, cabins, and dumping of construction waste and scrap material. PA officials discovered an ille- gal concrete passageway in the archeologically sensitive Għar il-Kbir, Siġġiewi. The authori- ty re-exposed a stretch of land with prehistoric cart ruts and returned it back to its original state, in line with a Restoration Method Statement approved by the PA. This removal process was su- pervised by a monitor approved by the Superintendence of Cul- tural Heritage, and engaged at the expense of the contravener. Apart from this, a number of rooms were built without planning permission in out- side-development-zone (ODZ) areas, namely off Triq Wied ta' San Martin in Attard, near Triq il-Fortizza ta' Bengħajsa in Birżebbuġa, and in an area known as Ta' Rebħa on a site adjacent to the large Dingli res- ervoir. These rooms were all demol- ished and the sites were re- turned back for agricultural purposes. In Mġarr. three sites were cleared of illegal developments. A room and other adjoining structures were demolished and removed at Sqaq Randun, while two cabin structures were re- moved from a field in Triq l-Ar- maġġ and in Żebbieħ. Both were placed without permissions. Construction material and other waste was dumped at a site at Wied Tal-Imsielet. The contravener complied with in- structions from PA enforce- ment officers to clear the waste. In Birżebbuġa, specifically Triq Ħal Far and Triq Kalafra- na, one field was being used as a boatyard while another was be- ing used to dump construction material and other waste. Both fields were cleared. At Għajn Tuffieħa in Mell- ieħa, oil tanks and scrap mate- rial were being stored without permission. They were removed by the contravener upon the or- ders of enforcement officers. In Gozo, several illegal struc- tures were discovered in Għasri and Xewkija. One of the struc- tures included a large make- shift room on top of a concrete platform, and another structure was used as cages for animals. Both structures were demol- ished and the sites returned back to their original state. Thomas Paris, the newly-ap- pointed Deputy Director with- in the directorate, said that the PA's officers have upskilled in recent years, using "the art of persuasion" to convince contra- veners to remedy the situation themselves. "Taking direct action by hir- ing sub- contractors' machinery to demolish or remove illegal development is our last resort since it is very costly to the PA and the contravener. When contraveners take action them- selves to remove illegal devel- opment, it is a win-win situa- tion." Left to right: Ghar Il-Kbir, Siggiewi before and after Left to right: Off Triq il-Maddalena, Dingli before and after Left to right: Site off Triq Il-Fortizza Ta' Benghajsa, Birzebbuga before and after Left to right: Sqaq Randun, Mgarr before and after Left to right: Ta' Ghajn Tuffieha, Mellieha before and after