James Debono Business magnate Albert Mizzi’s application to construct 26 boathouses on the coastal stretch in Tas-Sellum, Mellieha has been turned down by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
Thirteen boathouses, covering 466 square metres of land, were proposed opposite a row of existing boathouses, while another 13 boathouses covering 835 square metres were envisaged for the underlying foreshore.
Mizzi presented the application in 2007 after the existing boathouse owners refused to pay him an annual fee to use the open concrete platforms in front of their boathouses.
Mizzi is the landowner of Santa Marija Estate through the company Cenmed.
Owners of the existing boathouses objected to the new developments, along with the Mellieha council, Din l-Art Helwa and Flimkien Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar.
On 9 February, MEPA decreed it could not accept such development in a coastal protection area. The North West Malta local plan prohibits the development of boathouses within protected and scheduled areas, and designated the Sellum coastal zone as a Level 2 area of ecological importance.
The development was also deemed to be in violation of the Structure Plan, which aims to secure public access around the coastline immediately adjacent to the sea.
A pending enforcement notice against an illegal cesspit constructed by third parties in the area was also cited as an obstacle to the development. MEPA had previously advised Mizzi not to pursue any application until these works were regularised.
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Search:
MALTATODAY
BUSINESSTODAY
Download MaltaToday Sunday issue front page in pdf file format
