Updated 5.45pm
Mepa said this afternoon that it had stopped works on a site adjacent to San Blas Bay in Gozo, a Grade 3 scheduled area.
An iron gate and a metal frame were assembled on site and maintenance work on existing rubble walls took place, Mepa said. Concrete was used to install a number of metal poles.
During Mepa’s inspection, Joseph Portelli who said he was the sole owner of the site said the works were carried out last week for ‘personal use’.
Since, the site in question is listed as Grade 3 Area of Ecological Importance, the Mepa officers immediately stopped the illegal work and an enforcement notice together with a daily fine (maximum fine of €50 per day) was issued against Mr Portelli.
Mepa said it will continue to monitor the site to ensure that the removal of all illegal structures.
Earlier today, Environment NGO Din l-Art Helwa said that it strongly condemned any illegal development at San Blas Bay.
It said it was ironic, it said, that while Mepa's enforcement directorate was recently applauded for issuing enforcement notices on similar developments at Golden Sands and Paradise Bay, no such action was taken on this illegal and unacceptable land clearing activity of a scheduled ecological site.
Din l-Art Helwa urged Mepa to take urgent corrective measures to protect one of the few pristine beach areas left in our islands.
In a separate statement, Environment groups Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth (Malta) and Ramblers Association also expressed their concern.
"The abusive works, which are not covered by any application or permit, were reported to Mepa on June 18. Yet enforcement action was only taken now, after the case was exposed in the press. The site has often been the target of illegal development in recent years; this alone should have made Mepa extra vigilant," the NGOs said.
They claimed that the developer in question has also been responsible for uprooting of protected trees in the past yet his permit was still granted.
"This repeated closing of a blind eye strongly suggests that the authorities condone his abuse."
The NGOs asked what steps are being taken by the Lands Department to establish whether the land in San Blas is private or public.