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Matthew Vella
A campaign meant to clamp down on the dozens of illegal billboards dotting the island appears to have stalled at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Just three weeks after the start of enforcement procedures on road billboards, 13 billboards have already been sanctioned by the authority’s Development Control Commission.
Thirteen billboards, all belonging to the same network of advertising companies, were sanctioned by the DCC on 24 October, 2005 after these had been erected without MEPA permission.
No comment has so far been received from the authority since this newspaper first enquired on the matter three weeks ago.
In a warning issued by MEPA, the national environment authority had announced it would take direct action on illegal billboards still standing after 30 September, which would also include their removal.
In a list seen by MaltaToday, some 85 billboards most of which were under enforcement action prior to the September deadline, were still standing at the start of October, most of them having had new adverts affixed.
The list has been sent to the offices of MEPA planning director Chris Borg and Malta Transport Authority (ADT) chief executive Gianfranco Selvaggi.
The same group of applicants attempted to rectify other illegal billboards three days prior to the 30 September deadline. Nine applications to regularise their position were refused by the DCC.
Four billboards however were approved, despite having been recommended for refusal by the case officer for being “unacceptable from a visual point of view” and “incompatible with the principles of good urban design.”
According to the case officer’s report, the billboards had been erected under temporary provisions, which do not require full development permits. Temporary billboards, which cannot be used for commercial purposes, but for cultural, political and educational purposes, also have to be dismantled after their use is no longer required.
Questions sent to MEPA remained unanswered at the time of going to print.
mvella@mediatoday.com.mt
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