The Planning Authority is taking direct action to close down two illegal scrapyards in the area known as Ta’ Harbat in Birzebbuga.

The action on one of them however had to be halted after the owner filed an urgent court application this morning. The owners of the second scrap yard have also filed a court application, which was also upheld in the afternoon, halting the direct action. 

There was some commotion when PA officials turned up on site and the police needed to be called to calm down the situation.

One of the people involved in the illegal operation tried to stop police officers and PA enforcement officers by blocking the road with a mechanical excavator. The situation was later calmed down. 

The same man also threatened journalists and said he would smash their cameras if they filmed inside the private property.

The area in question consists of agricultural land which has, however, been spoilt by leaking oil from several dumped vehicles. 

The Planning Authority said its officers had removed large quantities of dumped material which included, amongst others, large quantities of scrapped cars, trucks, white goods and tyres. "In both cases, the Authority decided to act after the contravenors faulted on an agreement that had been reached between the contravenors and the Authority over the past two years. The agreement had given the chance to the site occupiers to remove the illegally dumped material, in phases due to the extent of the site."

Sources said the illegalities at the site go back some 15 to 20 years. Two years ago a huge clean-up operation was conducted by MEPA but the amount of scrap has increased drastically since then. 

Apart from the mounds of scrap, several vehicles have been dumped in the fields. It is understood  that vehicles that were removed from the streets after having been served with police towing notices have been illegally dumped in the scrap yard.

The Authority said it is "adamant that these two sites, which also form part of a larger area scheduled for its archaeological importance, will be entirely cleared and that the agricultural fields are returned back to their original state."

Last August a fire broke out in one of the scrapyards - situated opposite Ghar Dalam and right next to a wedding reception hall - and two journalists were assaulted as they went to film the incident.