Residents decry inaction over illegalities by Marsascala eatery

Marsascala residents have decried inaction by the Planning Authority two months after the watchdog said it would be taking direct action against an eatery that was served an enforcement notice for breaching planning laws.

Members of the Marsascala Residents’ Network told Times of Malta they fear their locality would suffer the same fate as other localities such as Sliema and Marsaxlokk, which have lost stretches of public promenade to businesses.

In May, the network flagged encroachment by restaurants across Marsascala, saying businesses were taking pavements away from pedestrians, often illegally, making them difficult to navigate especially for those with pushchairs or mobility issues.

Among others, the network also contacted the Planning Authority over a wooden structure set up outside Taninu Bistro in Triq is-Salini.

Months later, according to a notice dated July 29 and published in the Government Gazette on August 17, Taninu Bistro was found to have breached permit conditions by setting up the structure on the public pavement. 

The eatery had also changed the use of public land in front of it by placing tables and chairs there. According to the notice, the operators of the...