Sliema council concerned at excavation works during ‘summer break’

The Sliema local council has voiced its concern at a number of ongoing excavation works in the town, despite a regulation that states that such works must be halted during the peak summer months.

Ever since 2007, an annual ‘summer break’ has been imposed on the construction industry – requiring them to halt excavation and demolition works in designated tourist zones between 15 June and 30 September in an effort to have cleaner and less disturbed streets during the peak tourism season.

However, the Sliema council noted that demolition works have progressed in around ten sites in the town, with some even continuing excavation works in July by virtue of extensions granted to them by the Building Regulations Office.

“We are very concerned about the veracity of ‘dangerous structures’ claims being put forward by these developers to claim for an extension at the Building Regulations Office,” the Council said. “This is more so when such developers pay absolutely no fines or fees for progressing with these disruptive works in the summer period.

“The Tas-Sliema Local Council is not consulted by the Building Regulations Office about the granting of such extensions, and we are thus very concerned that the law prohibiting such works in the summer period is being rendered null by the granting of continuous extensions by the Building Regulations Office.”