Mellieħa quay: repair works do not require permit – PA

The Planning Authority (PA) has said that there are no planning issues relating to the works being carried out on a Mellieħa quay, since repair works on an existing quay are exempt from obtaining permission.

Earlier this week, a Nationalist Party (PN) local council election candidate, Ivan Castillo, said he had reported the “illegal construction” of a new quay at ix-Xatt ta’ Santa Marija, stating that the works had continued nonetheless. Castillo said he had later referred the matter to the environmental commissioner within the Office of the Ombudsman.

He uploaded a number of photos showing crude works being carried out on the jetty. The photos show metal beams placed on the existing jetty, ready to be covered with a new layer of concrete.

Labour MP Clayton Bartolo later told Castillo that the jetty had been there for years and that it was only being “repaired” after it had been damaged by bad weather.

Bartolo added that one should verify the facts before posting things on social media.

Others, have said that even if the quay needs to be repaired, this is not the way to do it.

Replying to questions sent by this newspaper, a spokesperson for the PA said: “The works undertaken are repairs to an existing quay. Such works are exempt from the requirement of permission according to Class 2 of the Development Notification Order, 2016 (Legal Notice 211 of 2016).