News | Sunday, 13 December 2009

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Enforcement up, but MEPA faces backlog on 7,000 cases

Austin Walker’s second year at MEPA’s helm has seen a four-fold increase in direct actions against planning illegalities, when compared to 2005.
Direct actions involve the demolition of illegal structures and sealing-off of illegal buildings, and the removal of vehicles or construction material. While between January and November of this year planning illegalities were removed, only 21 similar actions were undertaken by MEPA back in 2005.
Prior to 2009, the highest number of direct actions were undertaken in 2007 when 34 similar actions were taken. While only six direct actions were taken in Mellieha between 2005 and 2008, 25 were undertaken in 2009. Moreover, five of seven direct actions conducted in Birzebbuga in the past four years were conducted in 2009.
Despite this significant improvement, most enforcement orders issued by MEPA are never concluded by direct action. MEPA presently faces a backlog of 7,372 pending enforcement orders against planning infractions, of which 5,400 date back to more than three years.

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