MEPA sanctions council’s illegal road

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has legalised the asphalting of a countryside lane carried out without a permit by the Mellieha local council between Triq Mejjiesa and Triq il-Manikata.

MEPA’s own Environment Protection Directorate objected to the council’s request to sanction the asphalting and widening of the 215-metre long road, which lies on a slope passing through open fields to the residential area of Manikata.

The Environment Protection Directorate (EPD) argued that aerial photos taken in 1998 and 2004 demonstrate that what used to be a country lane for field access had been widened and covered with concrete, becoming a “formalised road.”

Enemalta carried out trenching works in the same area in 2007. When the trenching works were being filled in, the local council proceeded to surface the road with concrete.

The EPD also called for the removal of the asphalt, to have the lane returned to beaten earth. It warned that the development would result in the intensification of traffic in this rural area.

The Environment and Planning Commission, which approved the development, justified its decision by arguing that the road eases the traffic flow, and that the area had already been disturbed by trench laying by Enemalta in 2007. It also referred to the clearance given by MEPA’s internal Heritage Advisory Committee and by the Transport Authority.

MEPA had previously issued an enforcement order against the council. An appeal was filed in June 2012, with Mellieha council arguing that the road dates back to before 1967, and that asphalting was carried out to control storm water run-off that was carrying debris down into Manikata road.

MEPA’s appeals tribunal said in its judgement that the local council illegally concreted the road, leading to the council applying to have the work sanctioned.