Malta’s planning system continues to sink to new lows of indecency as developer Joseph Portelli has now applied to sanction his illegal ODZ pools in Qala (PA/05223/24).

These pools, sprawling over 700 square meters of agricultural ODZ land, were constructed as part of Portelli’s massive Ta’ Kassja development engulfing the village of Qala. In 2021, Moviment Graffitti reported illegal works in Qala’s ODZ to the Planning Authority. However, while the works continued with impunity, Joseph Portelli managed to apply for and obtain sanctioning for the illegally built pools.

Following a court appeal by Moviment Graffitti and the Qala Local Council, the courts revoked the permit in March this year, declaring the pools illegal. The Court’s judgement was definitive and unequivocal: “…the development of swimming pools on that site is not compatible with the uses allowed for that specific zone, which is agricultural in nature…” Given that illegal structures can only be sanctioned if they conform to current planning policies, Portelli’s second application to sanction these pools, after such a categorical Court ruling, is a blatant mockery of our justice system.

This affront to justice is facilitated by the Government and its authorities, who have consistently bent over backwards to satisfy the greed of developers. Last June, Moviment Graffitti conducted a direct action at the site of the two illegal pools, highlighting how the Government had systematically failed to curb Portelli’s bullying tactics and had failed to reform the deeply flawed planning appeals system. Current law permits developers to commence and complete projects even while an appeal is pending before the Planning Tribunal (EPRT) or the courts. As we see in Qala, this results in projects being fully built even after the courts revoke their irregular permits.

As we stated during our direct action, and reiterate now, this planning system is intentionally rigged in favor of developers. The Government is effectively enforcing impunity for developers by allowing them to construct structures that are illegal or potentially illegal, and then failing to take meaningful action against these violations. In the case of Qala, the Planning Authority has not even restricted access to the pools, which remain fully operational despite their clear illegality.

In May last year, and again a few weeks ago, Prime Minister Robert Abela promised a reform of the appeals law. Yet, to date, there is no sign of such a reform, while developers continue to act with impunity to the extent of flagrantly disregarding a Court ruling.

We reiterate our demand that Joseph Portelli’s illegal pools in Qala be immediately demolished and that the unjust appeals law be reformed without further delay.

Moviment Graffitti is prepared to take further direct action if the people’s call for basic decency in planning continues to fall on deaf ears.

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Il-Gvern u Joseph Portelli jiżżuffjettaw bil-poplu

Is-sistema tal-ippjanar f’Malta qed tkompli sejra mill-ħażin għall-agħar hekk kif l-iżviluppatur Joseph Portelli issa applika biex jissanzjona l-pixxini illegali tiegħu fl-ODZ tal-Qala (PA/05223/24).

Dawn il-pixxini, li jkopru medda ta’ ’l fuq minn 700 metru kwadru ta’ art agrikola ODZ, kienu nbnew bħala parti mill-iżvilupp massiċċ ta’ Portelli, magħruf bħala Ta’ Kassja, li radam il-villaġġ tal-Qala. Fl-2021, il-Moviment Graffitti kien irrapporta xogħlijiet illegali fl-ODZ tal-Qala lill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar. Madankollu, filwaqt li x-xogħlijiet komplew għaddejjin b’impunità totali, Joseph Portelli rnexxielu japplika għas-sanzjonar — u jikseb dan is-sanzjonar — għall-pixxini mibnija illegalment.

Wara appell quddiem il-Qorti mill-Moviment Graffitti u l-Kunsill Lokali tal-Qala, il-Qorti rrevokat il-permess f’Marzu ta’ din is-sena, u ddikjarat li l-pixxini huma illegali. Is-sentenza tal-Qorti kienet waħda definittiva u li ma tħalli lok għal ebda dubju: “…is-sit mhux kompatibbli mal-użu permess għal żona speċifika ta’ natura agrikola bħal din in kwistjoni….” Ladarba strutturi illegali jistgħu jiġu ssanzjonati biss jekk ikunu konformi mal-politiki tal-ippjanar attwali, it-tieni applikazzjoni li Portelli tefa’ biex jissanzjona dawn il-pixxini — wara sentenza daqshekk kategorika mill-Qorti — mhija xejn għajr żuffjettar bis-sistema ġudizzjarja tagħna.

Dan l-insult sfaċċat fil-konfront tal-ġustizzja huwa ffaċilitat mill-Gvern u l-awtoritajiet tiegħu, li dejjem għamlu minn kollox biex jissodisfaw ir-regħba tal-iżviluppaturi. F’Ġunju li għadda, il-Moviment Graffitti wettaq azzjoni diretta fis-sit taż-żewġ pixxini illegali, u xeħet dawl fuq kif il-Gvern sistematikament naqas milli jrażżan it-tattiċi ta’ bullying min-naħa ta’ Portelli u naqas ukoll milli jirriforma s-sistema bażwija tal-appelli tal-ippjanar. Il-liġi attwali tippermetti lill-iżviluppaturi jibdew u jlestu proġetti ta’ żvilupp anke meta jkun hemm appell pendenti quddiem it-Tribunal tal-Ippjanar (EPRT) jew il-Qorti. Kif rajna fil-Qala, dan iwassal biex proġetti sħaħ jilħqu jinbnew għalkollox anke wara li l-Qorti tkun irrevokat il-permessi irregolari tagħhom.

Kif għedna waqt l-azzjoni diretta tagħna, u kif qed nerġgħu ntennu issa, din is-sistema tal-ippjanar hija logħba mixtrija intiża li tiffavorixxi lill-iżviluppaturi. Il-Gvern qiegħed b’mod effettiv jiżgura l-impunità għall-iżviluppaturi billi l-ewwel iħallihom jibnu strutturi li huma illegali jew potenzjalment illegali, u mbagħad jonqos milli jieħu azzjoni sinifikanti kontra dawn l-illegalitajiet. Fil-każ tal-Qala, l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar lanqas biss irrestrinġiet l-aċċess għall-pixxini, li s’issa għadhom qed jitħallew jitħaddmu minkejja li huma ċarament illegali.

F’Mejju tas-sena l-oħra, u kif ukoll ftit tal-ġimgħat ilu, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela wiegħed riforma fil-liġi tal-appelli. Iżda, s’issa, għad m’hemm l-ebda ħjiel ta’ din ir-riforma. Sadanittant, l-iżviluppaturi qed ikomplu għaddejjin b’impunità assoluta sal-punt li qed imorru kontra sentenza tal-Qorti.

Aħna nerġgħu ntennu t-talba tagħna li l-pixxini illegali ta’ Joseph Portelli fil-Qala jiġu mneħħija immedjatament u li l-liġi inġusta tal-appelli tiġi riformata mingħajr aktar dewmien.

Il-Moviment Graffitti huwa lest li jwettaq aktar azzjonijiet diretti jekk l-għajta tal-poplu għal diċenza bażika fl-ippjanar tkompli taqa’ fuq widnejn torox.