ERA against regularisation of Saghtrija illegalities

The Environment and Resources Authority is objecting to the regularisation of various illegal structures at the Sagħtrija residential complex in Zebbug, Gozo, saying this would increase the sprawl of the built-up footprint on undeveloped land.

Gozitan entrepreneur Joseph Portelli, one of the Sagħtrija owners, has applied to regularise a number of illegal structures which include a 38 sq.m chapel, a 36 sq.m stable, a 13 sq.m sheep pen, a 23 sq.m chicken coop and a 36 sq.m kitchenette.

The ERA said regularisation would have adverse, cumulative environmental impacts including “the scattering of structures which could have easily been located within designated urban areas”. According to ERA “the safeguarding of rural areas’ distinctiveness should be sought by controlling the cumulative effect of development”. 

In total the application seeks to regularise a total of 154 sq.m of illegal development.  

Ħal Sagħtrija is a residential project developed by Menfi Ltd, a consortium of Maltese and Gozitan companies, which includes Adrian Buttigieg, Alfred Mangion, Joseph Portelli and Gozitan MP Franco Mercieca who chairs parliament’s environmental committee. 

When quizzed on his business relationship with Portelli – who has an interest in developing one of Paceville’s new high-rise structures – amidst controversy on the Paceville masterplan which was being discussed by parliament’s environment committee which he chairs, Mercieca declared that his involvement in Menfi started in 2010, way before he even considered entering the political environment. “It only has one project, which is in Gozo [Ħal Sagħtrija, a 13-tumolo development]. The permit was issued before this government, under the Nationalists. It was all above board; I declared it in my declaration of assets”.

The Sagħtrija complex consists of 75 luxury apartments perched on the Zebbug hill. 

The construction outside development zones at Ta’ Sagħtrija was approved in 2009 in a vote in which three board members, including present Environment Planning Commission chairman Elizabeth Ellul, had voted against.