The Malta Environment and Planning Authority carried out six direct action operations last month: two involving the removal of extensions to boundary walls in Naxxar and Zebbug, Malta, two in connection with the removal of an illegal structure in Bugibba and two involving the removal of an illegal container in Fontana.

It had determined 801 applications and had received 786 new ones. The net pending caseload at the end of the month was 4,926.

Seventy-seven notifications of development had been processed which, according to the Development Notifi-cation Order 2001, do not require a formal application.

In the same month, 70 Stop and Enforcement notices had been issued, 63 in Malta and seven in Gozo.

It said 17 enforcement cases had been closed, 12 in Malta and five in Gozo. Nine enforcement cases were sanctioned by the issue of a sanctionable permit, and another eight cases had been resolved after owners decided to comply and remove illegal developments.

Twenty-four cases received by the complaints office had been resolved without the need for enforcement action, since owners had complied with instructions given by Mepa enforcement officers.