Sliema Piccolo Padre restaurant removes illegal structure

An illegal structure outside the Piccolo Padre restaurant on The Strand in Sliema has been removed, the Planning Authority said on Tuesday following public outcry and an enforcement notice.

The PA said the structure, which consisted of a “tent, together with tables and chairs placed on public land in front of a food establishment in Sliema, has been removed”.

However, the authority added the enforcement notice will remain in force until the site is fully restored to its original state and all outstanding requirements of the notice have been complied with.

The case concerns the installation of a retractable awning projecting onto the pavement and partly over the carriageway, supported by a pillar positioned within the road area. The structure was erected illegally and caused uproar over the take-up of public land and raised safety concerns.

The PA had issued an enforcement order to developer Carlo Stivala, which also covered the laying of tiles over part of the road surface beneath the canopy and the placement of planters around the perimeter.

The Sliema local council had objected to the illegal development and Moviment Graffitti had threatened to take “direct action” if the structure was not removed.

The developer removed the tables and chairs from the pavement last saturday following the enforcement notice but the metal awning and additional flooring remained in place. NGOs said the tables and chairs were loaded on a truck round the corner “waiting to be brought back”.

The PA said it had “made it clear that should those responsible fail to comply, enforcement proceedings would be escalated in accordance with the applicable legal framework, including through direct action where necessary to ensure compliance”.

Objectors had raised concerns about pedestrian access, particularly for wheelchair users and the visually impaired, and road safety due to the illegal occupation of the pavement and the structure’s proximity to the road and a street intersection.