Officers within the Planning Authority's Compliance and Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday blocked access to a large field in Vjal l-Istadium Nazzjonali, opposite the Ta’ Qali National Park.

The PA said in a statement the field, which is outside the development zone, has been subjected to persistent illegal deposition of material, which increased in recent weeks.

This action comes in the wake of similar direct action less than two weeks ago on a site in Marsascala.

The people responsible for the illegal dumping were first slapped with an enforcement notice in June 2016. Soon after, the PA had stepped in to remove the illegally deposited material.

In April 2020, the authority issued another enforcement notice for a similar infringement.

The PA then proceeded with a partial direct action in July 2021, during which a breach of notice was also served to the contraveners.

Both enforcement notices carry the maximum daily penalty which to date amounts to more than €80,000, and is still accruing.

Instead of complying with the instructions given in the enforcement notices to remove the illegally deposited material and reinstate the agricultural land, PA surveillance shows that the contravener has recently opened another access to the site to dump additional material and level it.

The PA said that, given the persistent and repetitive abuse, on Tuesday it placed concrete blocks to close off the access to prevent further illegal activity on site.

Where seals are placed by the PA, any tampering will result in the imposition of a fine amounting to €1,500, and €12,000 for subsequent attempts.

The PA said it will keep monitoring the situation on site and unless the contraveners remove the illegally dumped material, it will proceed with the required operations to reinstate the land at the full expense of the contravener.

It said that during the operation, its officers had to seek police assistance due to the aggressive behaviour of the contravener.