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13 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 JUNE 2018 KURT SANSONE INSPECTIONS of construc- tion sites in Gżira and St Ju- lian's have revealed that a vast majority are in breach of regulations, MaltaToday has learnt. Official data shows that 63% and 67% of building sites in Gżira and St Julian's respec- tively had some form of irreg- ularity flagged by inspectors over the past two weeks. Inspections were conducted by officials from the Planning Authority and Building Regu- lations Office as part of an effort to clamp down on con- struction site abuse. Figures for the week between 9 June and 15 June show that inspectors visited 64 sites in Gżira, of which 40 had irregu- larities. During the same pe- riod, 41 of the 61 construction sites inspected in St Julian's had infringements. In Sliema, inspectors flagged irregularities in 18 of the 43 sites visited. This means that 42% of building sites in Sliema had some form of irregularity. The three localities were the first to be targeted by inspec- tors as part of a wider effort announced earlier this month to inspect construction sites across Malta and Gozo. De- velopers have been given two weeks to correct the irregu- larities. The results of the first in- spections did not come as a surprise for the mayors of Gżira and St Julian's, who have had to contend with res- idents' complaints at a time of intensive construction work. Gżira mayor, Conrad Borg Manche, told MaltaToday that with multiple construc- tion sites cropping up across his town, the problems have become those of a whole lo- cality and not limited to a street or two. "I am not at all surprised with the findings because the council has been receiving many complaints from resi- dents over abusive work prac- tices in construction sites that are having a bad effect on peo- ple's health, their property and public infrastructure," Borg Manche said. He praised the inspec- tions, noting that develop- ers had started to be more careful. However, he did re- ceive a couple of phone calls from developers complaining that inspectors were picking on them. "I have insisted with devel- opers they have no option but to comply and work diligently so as to reduce the inconven- ience on neighbours. Some- times I harbour the feeling that some developers act as they do to force residents to sell their home and move out," Borg Manche said. St Julian's mayor, Guido Dalli, said his council had three wardens patrolling the streets, who were also tasked to flag construction site irreg- ularities. Most of the abuse, he said, was linked to inadequate hoarding and scaffolding that is not screened, or pavements that are broken or blocked. "I am not surprised by the findings but I also have to add that we do find cooperation from most developers when we flag problems," Dalli said. The figures show that from the 168 sites inspected in Gżira, St Julian's and Sliema, 59% had some form of irregu- larity. There were 59 instances of lack of netting or screening on scaffolding and 44 cases of "missing or damaged" pave- ments. Another 24 cases involved inadequate or missing hoard- ing, while 11 irregularities concerned "injury to amenity". Inspectors also flagged one instance of construction work being carried out on a Sunday. Some of the sites had more than one irregularity. The inspections started after Gżira councillor, Jeremy Car- dona, was almost run over by a developer; an incident which prompted the council to call a protest, earlier this month. Building site inspections reveal majority had irregularities Construction frenzy Approved building permits Sliema 1,036 St Julian's 738 Gzira 558 tered moorings, "ascertaining uniformity and proper manage- ment". The marina was already moot- ed in the 2017 Budget, as part of an ongoing strategy to improve Malta's profile as a yachting centre, following the invest- ment in Sa Maison and the pro- ject of Gzira Gardens. Transport Malta has briefed stakeholders including the Għaqda Bahhara, Sajjieda u Dilettanti Wied il-Ghajn, and the Department of Fisheries. The Marsaskala council was invited for the meeting but was unable to attend. The council has now asked further infor- mation on the project. Trans- port Malta said it was open to any suggestions, proposal for design, construction and op- eration of the Marina and "will maintain constant dialogue with stakeholders throughout the process," a spokesperson told MaltaToday. Businesses and restaurant owners in Marsaskala have been lobbying for a marina for a number of years but some resi- dents had expressed concern on negative impacts on bathing ar- eas along the bay. The development of a yacht marina was first considered in a study by Deloitte in 1997, which referred to the unavailability of land for shoreline facilities and did not consider Marsaskala as one of the best sites. A report by the Malta Mari- time Authority in 2009 con- cluded that a marina with 380 berths, including a breakwater and quay, would cost €24 mil- lion. The Planning Authority is still considering an application to develop a waterpolo pitch on 6,075sq.m of seabed along the Marsaskala promenade in Triq is-Salini, presented two years ago after the existing pool was leased to the Sadeen group to construct the American Univer- sity of Malta's campus. The EOI was issued through the Preliminary Market Con- sultation mechanism, which al- lows contracting authorities to engage in pre-tender consulta- tions in order to identify poten- tial bidders and solutions. PHOTO JAMES BIANCHI