The Chamber of Architects has opened a disciplinary investigation into “completely outrageous” demolition works at Birkirkara that could lead to the suspension of the architect’s warrant. 

Architect Maria Schembri Grima, who on Tuesday stepped down as chair of the Building and Construction Agency, is under pressure after footage emerged showing stones crashing onto Psaila Street at the demolition project she is leading.

The BCA issued a stop notice to its then chairperson over the works at the former Go Exchange building, carried out by Excel Investments, which is owned by Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli and which were deemed to be “exposing third parties to danger”.

Schembri Grima has pledged to fix shortcomings, writing to the Planning Authority with an update of the method statement she said was not adhered to during the demolition works.

Documents related to project 'not visible' on PA system

Kamra tal-Periti president Andre Pizzuto said the chamber’s disciplinary investigation has already been hampered by the fact that important public records listing those responsible for the project are “not visible” on the planning system.

A council meeting was held to review the situation and the BCA was asked to send the data, which it has access to, Pizzuto continued, adding that this information, which has the contact details of all involved, is usually held by the Planning Authority too.

As a result, the site technical officer, the main person responsible to enforce the method statement, is not known, Pizzuto pointed out.

Chamber is currently gathering evidence

The chamber, whose remit is to determine whether there has been professional negligence, malpractice, any breaches of professional regulations and standards as well as conduct that could bring disrepute on the profession of architects, is currently gathering evidence, he said.

This could lead to the perit being called to testify under oath and to an admonition, the temporary suspension of the architect’s warrant or its complete revocation.

Only last October, the KTP had suspended an architect for six months when it found he was “grossly negligent” while working on another construction site in Birkirkara.

Pizzuto said the chamber never approved of having a practising architect on the BCA due to a potential or perceived conflict of interest.

In fact, it had rejected the proposal two years ago to be on the BCA board when the act was being discussed in parliament.

Incident 'completely ourtrageous, never seen anything like it'

Pizzuto described the weekend’s incident in Psaila Street, corner with Fleur-de-Lys junction, as “completely outrageous” and said he had “never seen anything like it” as huge stones rained down near homes and a school.

He said what happened “explains why we do not have the licensing of contractors”, because those involved in these demolition works would “never be able to lift a stone again”.

The licensing is in the hands of the BCA but it was “not happening because the status quo is convenient”, he said.

“How they think this is okay is beyond me,” Pizzuto said about the contractors.

He was informed that the dangerous demolition continued even after the stop notice was issued.

'Arrogance, sense of impunity and over-the-top culture is alarming'

“We are reaching a point where the arrogance, sense of impunity and over-the-top culture is alarming,” Pizzuto said.

Explaining how a demolition of a building should be carried out, he said it should be dismantled by hand and inwards.

Pizzuto referred to a “brand-new” legal notice, issued by the BCA itself, on hoarding and dust control, delineating heights and other constraints.

Now the remit of the agency, it obliges the contractor to “deconstruct” a building, rather than demolish it, disassembling, separating and stacking the material in a way that would facilitate its re-use.

An alarming video sent in by a reader has shown how the works caused stones to fall a height of at least three storeys, crashing down beyond supposedly protective hoarding.

Dust fills the air as the excavator eats its way through, demonstrating that protection is inadequate and the concrete perimeter wall blocking off the road is too low to safeguard the public, failing to close off the site as required.

Residents had called the BCA offices over the weekend to complain that the way the building was being demolished exposed people to danger.

The application to demolish the building was green-lighted in November last year and clearance to start work was issued on February 1.

An application is now pending for the building of 174 basement garages, 11 retail shops, 14 maisonettes/apartments at ground floor level, 96 apartments above and 17 penthouses with pools at a recessed fourth-floor level.