Local councils issued more than 800 permits for caravans and camper vans in the first three months since new laws required owners to apply to park near the coast or face a fine.

As of July 1, caravan owners have had to pay a minimum of €5 a day and get local council approval.

The new legislation came after concerns raised by Naxxar local council about caravans blighting the coast in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. 

A spokesperson for the local government ministry said the permits were issued by nine local councils – seven in Malta and two in Gozo.

According to a legal notice issued in June, the new rules covered July, August and September, with the fee increasing to €10 a day when parking was in designated areas supplied with utility services. Local councils have the last say on whether to issue permits.

According to a breakdown of the figures provided by the local government ministry, councils issued 252 permits in July, 327 in August and 245 in September. The permits covered almost 2,200 days of camping.

Each permit covered up to three days

Each permit for parking in non-designated zones covered up to three days, which could be renewed. Permits to park in designated areas covered a maximum of seven days. Both were renewable as long as approved by the council of the locality.

The new rules also set a limit of four adults per caravan or two adults and an unspecified number of children.

Permits were issued by the councils of Birżebbuġa, Kalkara, Marsaxlokk, Mellieħa, Valletta, Xgħajra and Naxxar.

In Gozo, permits were issued by the councils of Munxar and Żebbuġ, which also covers Marsalforn.

Meanwhile, the Planning Authority last August gave the go-ahead to plans to install water and electricity at two sites earmarked for caravans – Qortin it-Twil, in Mellieħa and Tal-Għoqot, in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Naxxar.

This means that these sites will be renovated with utilities such as power and water for caravaners who want to reserve a spot in sites that have between 20 and 25 plots.

The Development Notification Order applications were filed by representatives of each locality’s respective local council.

But caravan owners are unhappy with the arrangement, saying the sites selected by the authorities are run down and far too small.

“The places that they are giving us are the most dilapidated and degraded areas of the locality,” Camping Club Malta president David Aquilina told Times of Malta.