News | Sunday, 07 March 2010

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Gozo ministry roadworks not covered by MEPA permit

No planning permits were issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority t to the Gozo ministry, for the asphalting of 56 countryside passages between 2005 and 2009, a spokesperson confirmed.
2.7 kilometres of countryside passages, covering an area of over 12,000m2, were covered with concrete and other material between 2007 and 2009 at a cost of €94,000.
Just under 4,500m2 were asphalted during the 2008 election year.
The Gozo local plan states that MEPA should strongly discourage the widening of country roads, but MEPA is not in a position to enforce this rule as no permit is required for such works, a spokesperson claimed.
MEPA said that all works conducted between 2005 and 2009 were directly related to the maintenance of these passageways that were damaged either through their daily use, or through the natural elements.
Although no planning permit is required, the Gozo Ministry claims that requests for countryside passages are assessed according to “environmental, safety and utility considerations”. The Gozo Ministry is still evaluating pending applications for farm access roads to establish an order of priority for works to be undertaken in 2010.

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