MEPA insists it behaved correctly on San Gwann development

MEPA chairman Vince Cassar has insisted that the planning authority had sent Zbibu Lane objector Stephen Saliba a notification giving him 30 days to appeal the permit for a con and had therefore not denied him his right to appeal, as claimed.

Saliba claims that he was never notified that the permit for a controversial San Gwann development was issued and therefore lost his right to appeal the decision.

But MEPA has no intention of changing procedures to start informing objectors of changes in plans or the issue of permits through registered  post as this would increase costs and paper work for the authority. 

MEPA is under no legal obligation to inform objectors through registered post as the law states that the authority should inform objectors through normal post.

MEPA CEO Johann Buttigieg also revealed that the list of permit applications and issued permits will no longer be published in the Malta Independent but will be published in the Times of Malta, after procedures were changed to take account of readership.

During the press conference Cassar insisted that MEPA has denied nobody of the right to appeal and deplored attempts to “obscure MEPA’s reputation” through unfounded allegations.

MEPA also insists that it has honoured its obligation to publish this notice in the weekly list published on the Malta Independent.

The MEPA board approved 60 apartments on four storeys, seven penthouses and a semi-basement in September 2013.

The development will result in the demolition of a 200-year-old farmhouse on the site. MEPA insists that the cart ruts in the area will be safeguarded.

Residents voiced concerns that the development would create serious traffic congestion along the narrow street.

A traffic impact report was submitted to the transport authority and it was decided that the developer would have to contribute €25,000 towards the upgrade of Kappara junction.

Saliba claims that he never received notice of the issue of a “non-executable permit” and notice that he could avail himself of his right to appeal in the next 30 days.

“When I asked Mepa for the copy of the letter they claimed they sent me, they sent me a letter which looked as if it was drafted on the spot. Unlike past letters, it did not bear Mepa’s official letterhead and the document date was erased,” Saliba claims.

But MEPA insists that the letter was sent on February 3 and was uploaded on the e applications system on the same date.

The MEPA chairman insists that this system cannot be tempered with and any letter sent by MEPA is registered on the system.

Saliba claims that the San Gwann Local Counci had also asked to be notified.  But MEPA has now published the only communication it received from the council with regards to this permit in which no such request was made.  The public was also notified.