MEPA turns down permit for illegal works on Dwejra boathouses

The MEPA Board has refused to grant planning permission to sanction illegal works that were carried out on three boathouses in Dwejra, Gozo.

The permits had already been turned down by MEPA board chaired by Austin Walker in 2011, but now the MEPA board has issued a permit for the reconstruction of a boathouse which had collapsed after being granted a permit in 2008.

Another boathouse whose permit was never issued, because the owner failed to pay planning fees in 2008, was also given a permit.

Although planning refusal had been granted by the MEPA Board in 2010, earlier this year, in view of the new Rural and Design Policy, the Authority had been instructed by the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) to re-evaluate and take a decision on a number of planning applications cases prior to it taking a final decision.

But the MEPA board was also told by the planning directorate that the rural policy of 2014 does not apply to boathouses.

So the cases will be referred back to the appeals tribunal, which will be taking the final decision. In 2014 the same tribunal had approved a number of boathouses previously turned down in 2011.

MEPA had approved a number of boathouses before the 2008 general election but refused a number of boathouses in 2010 and 2011 when the Board was chaired by Austin walker. A number of boathouses refused in 2011 were sanctioned by the appeals’ board in 2014.

The owner of one of the boathouses claimed that an action plan approved in 2005 recommended the approval of the boathouse. He also referred to a number of adjacent boathouses approved in 2008.

On her part, Astrid Vella from environmental organisation Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar called on MEPA to demolish the boathouses that had not been approved.  

But MEPA approved the reconstruction of a boathouse which had collapsed during the replacement of a dangerous roof. This particular boathouse was given a permit in 2008. The natural heritage advisory committee had opposed the issue of the permit as the site was outside development zones.

The boathouse will be constructed in weathered stone. The environment protection directorate was also opposed to the rebuilding the boathouse. The new rural policy which allows the rebuilding of structures which had a permit in the past was invoked to justify the permit.

MEPA board member Victor Axiaq, who voted against this development, argued that it was important to start reversing the situation at Dwejra.