The San Ġwann and Swieqi councils have joined forces to object to the sanctioning of an illegal concrete bird trapping station and above-ground reservoir in the protected valley, concerned that these could eventually be turned into accommodation quarters.

While it was being claimed that the field was a registered trapping site, the hobby does not require a fully-fledged room measuring almost 12 square metres, the councils said.

The applicant, Joseph Borg, applied for a permit to sanction an illegally-built concrete trapping station after he demolished the wooden structure that was on site before and which he used as a hideout.

San Ġwann council executive secretary Kurt Guillaumier said the council had carefully reviewed the details provided in the application and concluded there were several reasons why the permit ought to be refused.

The structures blatantly violated the established zoning regulations for Wied Għomor. The erection of such buildings not only undermines the integrity of the local planning framework but also sets a concerning precedent for future developments, he wrote.

The council questions the use of the proposed room, since trapping takes place outdoors and does not require any accommodation

Wied Għomor Valley is recognised for its ecological significance and natural beauty. The construction of these unauthorised structures poses a threat to the local environment, potentially causing irreversible damage to the flora and fauna of the area.

He said that sanctioning illegal structures may encourage a disregard for planning regulations. “The San Ġwann local council has been reporting illegal development on this site for years. Granting such a permit would only be rewarding illegal actions,” Guillaumier wrote.

He urged the Planning Authority to not only refuse this application but also take direct action to remove the illegalities.

Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat said the so-called trapping station was illegally constructed earlier this year to replace a shack that had also been constructed illegally on site.

“The attitude that one can build in an ODZ valley and then apply for planning permission after the deed is done cannot be condoned,” Muscat wrote in his objection.

“The council questions the use of the proposed room, since trapping takes place outdoors and does not require any accommodation,” he said, adding that the reservoir had to be underground and covered in at least 50cm of soil, according to the policies.

The request on a site within the scheduled area of ecological importance did not go down well with the Environment and Resources Authority, which said the application cannot be considered favourably from an environmental point of view.