Flimkien Ghall Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) coordinator Astrid Vella said today that the rights of legal objectors and citizens are being ignored by Mepa and the situation is worsening from Mepa’s end day by day.

Referring to a case where a massive seven storey building is to be developed in Zbibu Lane, San Gwann, Ms Vella said that the commencement notice was issued before the legal permit.

The developer, San Gwann Ltd, submitted a commencement notice to construct a seven-storey block of apartments with 150 underground parking spaces and 77 garages.

One of the legal objectors, Stephen Saliba, who was present for the news conference held at Castille Hotel in Valletta, said that he had written to the chairman of Mepa so that he would alert Mr Saliba in the event the permit was issued tied to the apartments at Zbibu lane but he never received any documentation from the chairman.

The aim of letter to the chairman was to make him aware that once the permit was issued, it would give Mr Saliba time to appeal the case.

“I called the chairman to let him know that I never received anything from Mepa’s end, despite the permit having been issued; the chairman said that he had sent the documentation.

“When I told the chairman that it was not the case, he said that it was not his fault that the mail had not reached its destination,” Mr Saliba said.

Mepa told Mr Saliba that a “non-executable permit” was issued to the developer on January 30 and that Mr Saliba was informed accordingly so that he could avail himself of his right to appeal in the next 30 days. This notification was also carried in the local press, Mepa said.

Mr Saliba questioned whether this meant citizens would have to sift through all the newspapers that exist to spot the notice.

Mr Saliba said that a string of coincidences took place.

“I always received the mail sent to me by Mepa but the most important of documents never arrived,” he lamented, implying that the case was not simply a coincidence.

“As a result, I have lost my right to appeal the case,” he highlighted.

Mr Saliba and Ms Vella explained that to make way for the massive block of apartments, a 200-year-old farmhouse on the site and old rubble walls would be demolished along with archaeological findings.

Mr Saliba said that if it were not for residents in the area who pointed out to the case officer that there were two World War II shelters, the shelters would have most probably been destroyed as well.

“Following our intervention, the developer is to lose out on two garages however one of the shelters would be blocked off,” he said, adding but why does it has to be us citizens for such finds to be highlighted to Mepa when there are experts in the field Mepa can appoint to safeguard such finds and determine whether they are of historic value?

On a separate note, Ms Vella said that it is becoming a trend to ‘conceal’ planning notices, citing a planning notice placed in the middle of a field in Iklin valley in order for it to go unnoticed.