The Planning Authority has refused a planning control application in Triq San Ġwann Battista corner with Sqaq tax-Xama in St Paul’s Bay which sought to reduce the official street width by retaining an old structure which encroached beyond the official building alignment.

The PA had previously given development permission for the construction of an apartment block on this corner site. The permission was subject to the condition that the street is to be opened according to the official building alignment.

However, the developer proceeded to construct the building without adhering to this condition, leaving the old building jutting out of the building alignment.

The PA said in a statement on Friday that this created a bottleneck, as well as a hazard to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

The matter, it added, raised a number of objections from the residents and users of the area, as well as the local council.

The PA said it had issued an enforcement notice with daily fines.

Additionally, compliance certificates were not issued on any part of the building.

The planning control application submitted by the permit holder of the apartment block sought to change the street alignment so that the structure which encroached beyond the building line is retained.

Meanwhile, that part of the old structure which did not encroach beyond the building line was demolished to make way for the construction of the apartment block. 

But the PA did not accept the proposed change in alignment.

It warned the enforcement notice will remain in place until the street is formed according to the official street alignment.

Compliance certificates on the individual apartments will be issued when the conditions of the permissions are complied with in full.

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