Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/459448
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2015 8 JAMES DEBONO €6.5 million in EU funding will be spent on the upgrading or creation of 56 farm access roads, alleys and pathways over the coming months, many of the works including agri- cultural areas. To benefit from EU funding the works have to be completed in 2015 "preferably before next June", a spokesperson for parliamentary sec- retary Ian Borg, who is responsible for EU funding, confirmed. Although some of the works are being proposed in environmentally sensitive areas none of the proposed works will require any further envi- ronmental studies and MEPA per- mits. This is because any such works which would have required a plan- ning permit were excluded in the selection process carried out by Transport Malta and the Funds and Programmes Division, the govern- ment spokesperson claimed. "Due to environmental considera- tions and other criteria, and on the basis of whether these required fur- ther environmental studies or per- mits from MEPA and other entities, 24 roads were excluded by Transport Malta," the spokesperson said. The parliamentary secretary's spokesperson emphasised the fact that Malta risked losing these funds had the call for applications and se- lection process not been carried in time. This was because the funds were made available from savings made from the allocation for rural development in Malta for the period between 2007 and 2013. Transport Malta architects initially News Paltry penalty for Sliema naval clinic demolition JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Environment and Planning Authority has im- posed a paltry €2,300 fine when sanctioning the illegal in- ternal demolition of the naval clinic in Sliema. The naval clinic, a military hospital dating back to the nineteenth century, was a Grade 2 scheduled building. MEPA regularised the internal demolition of the build- ing when approving an eight-storey development over and above the historical façade, which had survived the demoli- tion. The case illustrates the weakness of existing legislation with regard to applications presented before 2012 to sanc- tion illegalities on listed buildings. According to MEPA spokespersons, the fine imposed was the maximum envisaged by law. This is because the higher penalties included in a legal notice introduced in 2012 could not be adopted "since the application was validated much earlier than the date of coming into force of the latter legal notice". In fact the application dates back to 2004. The case officer report reveals that the Planning Directo- rate had initially proposed a €116,387 fine. Prior to the approval of the permit the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee had opposed the sanctioning of the demolition, lamenting the "lack of information indicating what previously existed on the site". The case officer indicates that "in order to find a solu- tion" and following consultation with the Integrated Herit- age Management Team (IHM) it was recommended "that a maximum fine of €116,387 for demolition of greater part of Level 2 Scheduled building is imposed." 56 farm roads to be 'upgraded' MEPA permits