As part of its efforts to protect residents’ rights, last year Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) made representations to the Lands Dept in the name of the Għajnsielem residents who were protesting about encroachment of the localbelveder for the extension of the Grand Hotel. The Authorities on the advice of their architect consistently denied that the developers had invaded public property. However following protracted negotiations, an independent expert who was brought in confirmed that there had in fact been encroachment on the part of the developer. The Lands Department is now taking legal action against the developer, however because of the risk of destabilising thebelveder, demolition of the offending structure is not being contemplated. While FAA appreciates the Lands Department’s efforts to ascertain the facts, it is regretted that the developer will be permitted to enjoy the encroachment subject to financial compensation. It is hoped that adequate compensation will be set at today’s market prices, together with a fine for abusive usurpation of a public space.
It is also regretted that this abusive project was handled by an architect who is a member of Parliament who has overseen damage to the belveder, the lack of repairs for 24 months and the use of the belveder as a building materials yard, depriving the public of its use for all this time.
It is also outrageous that the hotel’s abusive construction included demolition of the ramp which allowed disabled people to enjoy this public space, since a wall of the abusive building was built on the footprint of the ramp. FAA calls on the National Commission for Persons with Disability to take action on this situation which has been causing hardship for far too long.
One asks where the Chamber of Architects’ Ethic Committee, the legal guarantor of architectural ethics, stands on such behaviour by one of its members.