An investigation by Times of Malta into an illegal structure in a Natura 2000 site on the outskirts of Dingli has prompted the planning authority to issue two enforcement notices.

The case involves a room at the bottom of Wied ir-Rum in the area known as Ta’ Baldu, which has been scheduled since 1996 due to its ecological importance. The valley has a small woodland of the hoary elm (ulmu), which is very rare and critically endangered in the Maltese Islands. In 2011, the site was designated as a tree-protected area by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

The investigation was sparked by an anonymous letter sent to this newspaper recently.

Its author claimed that he had also flagged the case to the authorities by sending a copy of the letter to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Mepa chairman, the Environment Commissioner and various environmental NGOs. However, this did not lead to any form of action, the author complained.

It appears that the room, made of stone, was built very recently.

Though its whitewashed walls contrast sharply with the surroundings, it is still hard to spot as it is very well concealed behind bamboo and other vegetation.

Contacted by this newspaper, a planning authority spokesman confirmed that enforcement action was taken following questions sent by Times of Malta. He said that enforcement officers also discovered another room in the vicinity that had no planning permission.