Eyesore room was in breach of design

A room in Rudolph Street, Sliema, that marred the streetscape of a row of townhouses was not built according to approved designs, a planning investigation has found. The planning authority will “in the coming days” decide on what action will be taken, according to Planning Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia. One of the options being considered is withdrawing the permit, which will lead to the removal of the room. Dr Farrugia confirmed that a probe he requested last week into the permitting process was concluded and the report delivered to his desk yesterday. “A number of elements in the construction were not built according to approved designs but there were other questionable matters,” Dr Farrugia said without elaborating. He said the Malta Environment and Planning Authority had not yet taken a final decision on what action to take but would do so in the coming days. The room, which stuck out like a sore thumb, sparked controversy after photos of the development were circulated on Facebook. The development was approved by Mepa last year by all four members of a planning board in defiance of the regulator’s Heritage Advisory Committee that recommended outright refusal. The...