Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/608340
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2015 10 JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has complied with a request by own- ers to regularise the construction of a block of flats, carried out without the required archaeo- logical monitoring laid down in the original permit for the devel- opment. The residential block is located in Triq Antonio Mallia in Victo- ria, within the 50-metre buffer zone for a 4.5-metre high menhir in the outskirts of the town. The Environment Planning Commission's decision was not unanimous, with board member Mariello Spiteri voting against the issue of the permit, but the vote was carried by a 3-to-1 majority. The permit to regularise the works was issued despite the strong objections of the Super- intendence for Cultural Heritage (SCH), which insisted that "it could never endorse the sanc- tioning of the infringement of the archaeological monitoring condi- tion". It also called for the permit to be refused. Archaeological monitoring was required as a precautionary meas- ure to ensure that no accidental discoveries are damaged during development works. In fact three different planning permits issued between 2012 and 2014 specified that all work on the site required archaeological monitoring. But works were completed in breach of this condition. The objection of the Superin- tendence was discussed by the Planning Directorate Advisory Team (PDAT), which insisted that the SCH stance did not ad- dress the situation on site, as the building has now been construct- ed. Instead the PDAT asked the SCH to conduct its own investi- gations on whether any historical remains existed on site. This of- fer was not taken up by the SCH, which insisted on a refusal of the permit. Instead, the MEPA relied on photographic evidence sub- mitted by the developer. Basing itself on this evidence, the PDAT concluded: "It is highly unlikely that excavations have been carried out which could damage any potential archaeo- logical remains". Instead, MEPA has imposed an €8,100 planning gain which would go to finance a planning fund for "built heritage improvement initiatives." News 10 News COURT NOTICE The Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals notifies that the First Hall of the Civil Court ordered the sale by Judicial Auction of the following property to be held in the corridors of the Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Date and Time Judicial Sale No Property 1st December 2015 39/15 – 12.00pm PP Four plots marked numbered five (5) and six (6) in Triq il-Gudja and numbered eleven (11) and twelve (12) in Triq Dun Marcell Mallia, !al G"axaq forming part of the field known as 'Tan-Neider' in !al G"axaq, bounded on the north in part by Triq il-Gudja and in part with property of the successor in title of Anthony Scicluna, on the East in part by Triq Dun Marcel Mallia and in part by propertry of the successors in title of Anthony Scicluna and on the West by property of Agostino Camilleri superficially measues of seven hundred and ninety five metres square (795 m#) valued at eight hundred and fifty thousand euro ($850,000). 3rd December 2015 68/14 – 10.30am EGL Apartment unnamed and without official number internally marked with number one (1) found on the first floor of the block unofficially named 'Cottonera Flats' overlaying a common entrance in the ground floor in a block of six appartments and a penthouse without name and official number in Triq Wi%i Rosato, Bormla. The appartment is accesible from the mentioned street,free and uncumbered and includes one sixth (1/6) undivided part of the roof and common washroom, and one seventh (1/7) of the common parts which include the entrance,the stairs to the roof,the lift and its shaft and the drainage system.The block is built on the site previously occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five(25),twenty seven(27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il- Kun&izzjoni, Cospicua.The appartment is valued at one hundred and twenty thousand Euros ($120,000) Apartment unnamed and without official number internally marked with number two (2) found on the first floor of the block unofficially named 'Cottonera Flats' overlaying a common entrance in the ground floor in a block of six appartments and a penthouse without name and official number in Triq Wi%i Rosato, Bormla. The appartment is accesible from the mentioned street,free and uncumbered and includes one sixth (1/6) undivided part of the roof and common washroom, and one seventh (1/7) of the common parts which include the entrance,the stairs to the roof,the lift and its shaft and the drainage system.The block is built on the site previously occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five (25),twenty seven (27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il- Kun&izzjoni, Cospicua.The appartment is valued at one hundred and forty thousand Euros ($140,000) The Block and the apartments are bordered from the West with Triq Wi%i Rosato, the East with Triq il- Kun&izzjoni and from the South with property of third parties or other boundaries. The block is built on the site formerly occupied by three tenements numbered twenty five (25), twenty seven (27) and twenty eight (28) in Triq il- Kun&izzjoni, Bormla 3rd December 2015 33/15 – 11.00am JGL A commercial property named Main Street Fashion, on two floors and a cellar numbered sixty five (65) in Triq il- Kbira, Rabat. Presently this property is rented as a commercial premise for the period of ten years, which agreement can be extended to another twenty years. The property has a temporary utile dominium which expires on the 26th December 2070, and is also subject to a temporary annual ground rent of thirty Euros ($30). The property is valued at one hundred and twenty five thousand Euros ($125,000) 3rd December 2015 32/15 – 11.30am EGL Duplex Maisonette officially numbered fourteen (14), named 'Vanity Fair', in Triq l- Ursolini, Gwardamangia together with its overlaying airspace with all its rights and appurtanances kollha valued at eighty seven thousand Euro ($87,000). 3rd December 2015 One sixth of the properties numbered twenty COURT NOTICE The Registrar of Civil Courts and Tribunals informs that theCivil Court, First Hall ordered the following sales by auction: Date and time Place Items 7th December, 2015 12.00pm – 37/15 EM Hall on Second Floor,Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Vessel MT 'OSMAN BEY', IMO number 9445382, registered in Turkey, property of Netmar Gemi Isletmeleri Anonim Sirketi, gross tonnage of 4225, net tonnage of 2047 and length of 112.31 metres 9th December, 2015 11.00am – 32/11 JGL First Floor, Courts of Justice, Republic Street, Valletta. Hundred (100) Ordinary Shares of the society S.C. & Company Limited (C-6050) 9th December.2015 34/15 Global Fund Manager, in Triq Testaferrata, Ta' Xbiex Four thousand (4,000) units of Global Funds Sicav p.l.c. Malta Privatisation and Equity Fund MT 0000072257 and two thousand four hundred ninety four point thirty seven (2494.37) units tal-Global Funds Sicav p.l.c. Global Bond Fund Accumulator MT 72158 MT 0000072158. Further details can be obtained from the website: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/JudicialSales/search.aspx The bidders taking part in the auction must present their identity card Rudolph Marmara' For the Registrar Civil Courts and Tribunals Permit issued despite lack of archaeological monitoring Nitrates high in Malta's three watercourses JAMES DEBONO ALL three of Malta's natural water- courses – Bahrija valley, Wied il-Luq in Buskett, and Wied Lunzjata in Gozo – have registered high nitrate levels in the range of between 110 and 200 milligrams per litre of water throughout the year, which is well over double the acceptable 50mg/l level for drinking water. The highest level of nitrates (250 mg/l) was registered in Bahrija Val- ley. High levels of nitrates cause 'eu- trophication' – which cause algal blooms and the depletion of oxygen from the water, which may even cause death to aquatic life. The watercourses host a variety of animals, including the Maltese fresh water crab and the Maltese painted frog. Readings taken each month be- tween February 2012 and Janu- ary 2013 in all three watercourses showed levels above 100 mg/l except on two occasions. Potential sources of high nitrate levels include agricul- tural activities and water depletion through groundwater extraction. The studies, published on the MEPA website, were undertaken as part of the implementation of Mal- ta's Water Catchment Management Plan for 2009 and 2015. Relatively low levels of nitrates were registered in Malta's only two fresh- water pools: Il-Qattara and l-Ghadira ta' Sarraflu (both located in Gozo). This suggests a direct link between watercourses and groundwater. Studies on the state of groundwater make it clear that very little improve- ment can be expected in the state of groundwater by 2021, despite Malta's implementation of the EU's nitrate directive. This is because studies show that groundwater takes as long as 40-60 years to percolate down to Malta and Gozo's main aquifers, meaning that nitrates deposited in the 1980s could still be making their way down to the water table. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Shooting range proposed in Siggiewi 'disused quarry' JAMES DEBONO AN extensive shooting range cov- ering a site area of over 10,000 square metres outside develop- ment boundaries is being proposed in Siggiewi, in the immediate vi- cinity of the 'Arka ta' Noe' zoo in an area known as Bur tal-Ghaqba. Plans presented by quarry owner Antoine Vella envision a car park for 73 cars for visitors, a clubhouse and a classroom for tuition. The development would also include a store, a shooting bay and a tactical bay. The site is described in the appli- cation as a 'disused quarry'. But aerial photos indicate that the site has not been used as a quarry in the past 20 years and parts of the site have been reclaimed by vegetation. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is currently formulating a new policy regulat- ing the development of shooting ranges. Objectives for the new policy issued in 2014 state that the "use of quarries and military in- stallations", should be considered for the development of shooting ranges. The final policy would need to take into consideration the noise and direction of the shooting to- gether with the deposits of lead and other material. The policy is still being finalised. Plans to develop a shooting range in the vicinity of the Mount St Joseph retreat house in Mosta were aborted after the Russian-owned U Group failed a due diligence proc- ess required for the allocation of public land in the area. The devel- opment was met with protests by residents, the church and environ- mentalists. The 4.5 metre high menhir Wied Lunzjata. High levels of nitrates kill aquatic life (inset)