Safety invoked to justify excavations near St Julian’s school

Extensive excavation works taking place right beneath the St Julian’s primary school during the past weeks were required because of a safety emergency, invoked by the developer after the start of works.

MaltaToday has confirmed that the developer of the new apartment complex being built in St Julian’s, has taken a commitment to reinstate the school grounds affected by the excavations at his own expense.

No works in this area immediately next to the school were envisioned in the original permit granted by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority last year for the construction of 25 apartments, a car park and a supermarket in the area between the school and the St Julian’s church.

MEPA has yet to approve a Construction Management Plan that has been amended to include the extensive emergency works.

Parents of children attending the school have complained to this newspaper about noise from the ongoing works during school hours. The works resulted in the closure of a parking area previously used by the school.

The architect responsible for this project is also in direct communication with the Foundation for Tomorrow Schools and the Lands Department, to ensure that no damage is done to the school during the works.

A MEPA spokesperson described the extensive works next to the primary school as “emergency works” which had to be carried out for safety reasons.

The works were highlighted in an amendment to the Construction Management Plan recently presented by the architect to MEPA, after being directed to do so by its enforcement directorate.

The excavations below the school have resulted in the removal of a number of trees from the area.

A MEPA spokesperson confirmed that no permit has been issued to the developer under the tree protection regulations to remove trees from the afforested area between the school playground and the main road.

This is because the original permit only indicated the trees which where present within the application site. In fact, one of the conditions imposed on the developers was the compensatory planting of 75 trees to replace those uprooted on the application site.

MEPA also had no prior knowledge that excavations had to take place outside the area covered by the permit. In fact works in the area between the site and the school was not included in the original Construction Management Plan.

“Since these are emergency works, they are now forming part of the amended CMP, which has been referred to MEPA for approval,” a MEPA spokesperson told MaltaToday.

The project also envisions a “planning gain” for the school.  In fact one of the permit conditions stipulates that the developers will create a vertical pedestrian connection linking the school with lower Triq Mikielang Borg. Plans for this link have already been approved by MEPA.