For Alex Vella, president of the Ramblers’ Association, it is “unacceptable that… case officers recommend a refusal which is then overturned later by (Mepa) officials behind closed doors”, according to comments he gave to The Malta Independent last Friday. That is, unless the applications in question concern him.
In comments he gave this newspaper’s sister in the build-up to yesterday’s pro-environment protest in Valletta, Mr Vella described this kind of behaviour, and other issues concerning the way the Malta Environment and Planning Authority is run, as an “abuse of power”.
But there seems to be nothing wrong in Mr Vella benefiting from this kind of situation because, in three cases involving him in the past six years, the case officer concerned recommended that no permit be granted, but this was overturned by Mepa, which gave the green light in all three instances.
Efforts to contact Mr Vella to comment on this last Friday were futile. His mobile phone was ‘not in a position to respond’ during the morning, and in the afternoon the phone kept ringing but there was no reply.
Mr Vella, together with Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar leader Astrid Vella, led the protest march in Valletta yesterday. They both spoke at a press conference held on Wednesday to give reasons why there was a need for the demonstration. And, in further comments given to The Malta Independent on Thursday, and published on Friday, both expressed their disdain for the fact that Mepa approves applications against the recommendation of case officers.
But The Malta Independent on Sunday is in possession of documents showing that, on three occasions between 2004 and 2009, Mr Vella was involved in applications to Mepa that were approved in spite of a reasoned opinion against the granting of permission by two different case officers.
The first occasion was PA 04782/04, an application for a garage at ground floor level and three apartments at first floor, second floor and receded third floor, with the façade to be retained on a site in Blanche Huber Street, Sliema, an urban conservation area.
The application was submitted by Mr Vella on 12 August 2004, with case officer George Delmar recommending a “refuse permission” in his report, giving eight reasons to justify his opinion.
Yet, on 14 March 2005, Mepa’s Development Control Commission gave the green light, going against its officer’s recommendation.
The second application was to demolish an existing town house and construct three apartments, again with the façade to be retained, at 69 Blanche Huber Street, Sliema, again an urban conservation area.
This time, the application was submitted by Alexei Vella Falzon, and the address for correspondence relating to the application was a residence in Sliema occupied by the Vella Falzon Group Ltd, of which Mr Vella is a shareholder.
The application, PA 03521/06, was submitted on 31 May 2006. Case officer George Delmar, in his report of 19 October 2006, recommended a “refuse permission”, giving six reasons against the development. But the DCC, on 21 February 2007, granted permission.
The third application, PA 04002/08, again at 69 Blanche Huber Street, was for amendments to PA 03521/06. It was submitted on 11 August 2008. Case officer Martin Camilleri recommended a “refuse permission” on 20 November 2008, giving three reasons for his opinion, but on 10 March 2009 the DCC gave the go-ahead.
This application was filed by Alex Vella Falzon, and again the address given was that of the company mentioned above.
All three applications were filed by architect Robert Musumeci.
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