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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 NOVEMBER 2026
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'Bring down Bidnija's fake sheep farm,'
activists urge Planning Authority
MOVIMENT Graffitti has called
on the Planning Authority (PA)
to demolish a "fake sheep farm"
in Bidnija following a court rul-
ing last week that rejected an ap-
plication for a retrial concerning
the revocation of the structure's
planning permit.
The building is located in an
ODZ area in the Bidnija valley.
According to Moviment Graf-
fitti, the structure includes sev-
eral floors, reception areas and
a swimming pool, and is situat-
ed in an area containing fresh-
water habitats of ecological im-
portance.
In November 2025, a court re-
jected an appeal filed by Jason
Vella challenging the revoca-
tion of his development per-
mit. The judgement confirmed
that the permit, issued in 2018,
is null and void, and that the
underlying application cannot
be reopened or reprocessed.
Following the latest ruling,
Moviment Graffitti is calling
on the PA to proceed with the
demolition of the building and
the restoration of the site, as far
as possible, to its natural state.
The organisation also warned
against any attempt to amend
existing planning regulations
or otherwise regularise the
structure, saying it would op-
pose such measures.
Demolition works carried out
on illegal or irregular struc-
tures are not a common sight
in Malta.
In June this year, the PA or-
dered the demolition of a villa
in Armier after its was being
illegally constructed while au-
thorities looked on. Despite the
demolition order, the villa was
still standing as of September.
In October, the PA removed
the paving outside of Carlo Sti-
vala's Piccolo Padre restaurant
in Sliema.
Lawyer Claire Bonello repre-
sented the two organisations
throughout the proceedings.
MATTHEW
FARRUGIA
mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt
Six organisations and over a hundred individuals had filed collective action for the revocation of the permit for the 'sheep farm' in Bidnija
