The ongoing construction of a bungalow in the Mellieha Santa Marija Estate valley on a green area is not only destroying plots of virgin land against every recommendation of the MEPA case officer who deemed the construction unacceptable. But the development planned by architect Catherine Galea – the very deputy chairperson of MEPA, has also meant that a bridge at the foot of the valley has collapsed in the midst of last week’s floods given the extensive bulldozing beyond the permitted footprint.
Besides being the architect, Galea also happens to have the development application submitted under her name.
The widespread damage that has eradicated a protected green area has also affected at least two households whose members can only access their villas on foot in what remains of a destroyed bridge that is risking further collapse.
As the photos taken before and after the demolition attest, the road has ended up dangerous and unusable, leaving parts of Santa Marija Estate stranded.
The developer has also obliterated other parts of the valley known as Wied Ghajn Zejtuna to make way for trucks and bulldozers, even though this was not covered in the permit issued in August 2006 against all odds.
In fact, the proposal submitted by Catherine Galea for the construction of a bungalow in Triq il-Pont with basements and swimming pool includes the felling of existing protected trees.
According to the case officer’s report, the valley is a green area of conservation value within the temporary provisions schemes where residential development is restricted.
The site in question covers an area of around 944 square metres and the building should have an area of around 250 square metres, although the destroyed land is much more than the area permitted.
The case officer states that the development, part of the swimming pool, water reservoir, pool deck and drive way, all encroach onto the protected area and the green area.
“The proposal is therefore unacceptable,” the MEPA officer goes on to add, listing several policies it is infringing.
Galea was also requested to revise her drawing but the officer remarks that the fresh plans were similar to the original and the footprint remained unchanged.
Incidentally, the affected road is yet another one of many in the estate owned by Bertu Mizzi that requires extensive maintenance and rebuilding, after the multi-million property magnate has repeatedly postponed to honour his commitments to build and service roads in the exclusive area, despite various court sentences ordering him to finish the roads and an agreement reached with the Transport Authority.