A day before Labour leader Alfred Sant went in front of the MEPA offices slamming the fast-track permits on the eve of general elections, the MLP’s own television station had its illegal stores sanctioned through one of the last minute permits issued by a MEPA Development Control Commission.
Among the applications that were approved by DCC B last Thursday was an application by One Productions Limited, operators of One TV and Super One Radio, the Labour Party’s radio and television station.
The application to sanction additions and alterations to the company’s existing television studios in Marsa was filed on 20 December 2007 by architect and Labour candidate Duncan Mifsud on behalf of Nicholas Briffa.
The works covered by this sanctioning application involve the illegal construction of stores at ground and first floor levels interconnected to the TV studios. The development also includes the sanctioning of access stairs linking the ground and first floor levels. The development covers an area of approximately 120 square metres.
The application was filed following the issuing of enforcement notice ECF00590/07 issued on 7 September 2007.
In her report, case officer Daniela Carla Agius said: “The area forms part of the Marsa Industrial Estate Area with a designated building height limitiation of 3 floors.
“The proposed extension is considered as ancillary to the operations of the TV studios and can therefore be considered as acceptable in principle. Also, the development had already been accepted by DCC Board in development application PA 03098/06, but the permit was not issued in view of non-compliance to the DCC Board’s request of a fine.”
The case officer recommended an approval of the application subject to a number of conditions, including that this permission did not sanction any other illegal development that may exist on the site and a height limitation of 2 storeys.
The application was unanimously approved by the board.