Planning board suspends Manoel Island permit
Planning board suspends Manoel Island permit for demolition of cowshed that has already been removed • FAA wanted permit to be completely revoked
11 February 2021, 5:46pm
by James Debono
The board was discussing a request by heritage NGO Flimkien Għall-Ambjent Aħjar to revoke the permit.
But instead of revoking it, the board declared the permit as “non-executable” until a final decision is taken on a new masterplan for Manoel Island.
The permit for the demolition of the building, a quarantine cowshed, and the uprooting of trees had been issued in May 2019. The permit had been issued weeks after the PA confirmed a masterplan for Manoel Island originally approved in 1999.
All construction works on Manoel Island have been suspended by the Planning Board until a final decision is taken on the Outline (MasterPlan) application, the Planning Authority said on Thursday.
The announcement came after the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal last June annulled the environment impact assessment and outline development permit for the master plan when it was found that a cultural heritage report had been drawn up by the son of one of MIDI’s directors, raising conflict of interest concerns.
The issue had been raised by environment NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar.
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The PA said on Thursday that any works that have already been approved have been suspended and three full development permits will be non-executable until a decision is taken on the outline application.
Constitutional case filed over Balluta ferry permit
Moviment Graffitti and Arnold Cassola say permit for Balluta ferry landing place should be suspended while an appeal is ongoing
18 January 2021, 4:38pm
by Laura Calleja
The project involves berthing facilities for a hop-on hop-off ferry service in Balluta Bay run by the Fortina Group
Moviment Graffitti and Arnold Cassola have filed a constitutional case regarding a ferry landing place permit in Balluta, which they says will change the bay’s nature to a commercial port.
Graffitti said the case was challenging the authorities refusal to suspend the permit, while an appeal is still ongoing. This resulted in an unfair procedural advantage for the applicants and denied the appellants their right to have an effective remedy.
Objectors to the approved ferry service at Balluta Bay, St Julian’s, have filed a constitutional case challenging the impartiality and independence of the