The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has appointed Perit Alexander Borg as the Enforcement Director.

Perit Alexander Borg graduated as an architect from the University of Malta in 1993, following which he obtained a Masters degree from the University of Aberdeen in Rural and Regional Resources Planning. He has been employed with the Authority for the last 18 years, having occupied the role of manager within the development services and enforcement unit in recent years. Perit Borg also gained valuable experience working within the environment division for a number of years. Earlier in his career, Perit Borg was actively involved in the management of a local heritage related NGO.

This new post ushers in the process for the setting up of the Enforcement Directorate, as had been promised in the MEPA reform, with a dedicated structure with its own resources. The Enforcement Directorate would be responsible for monitoring and compliance in respect of both and environment and planning.

Over the past weeks the Authority introduced a number of enforcement legislative measures which have radically changed the status of illegal development. Applications that seek to regularize certain illegal development typologies in more sensitive areas are not being accepted, with immediate enforcement action now being made possible even though an appeal submission is made. MEPA has also activated the suspension of a permit issued in ODZ areas and protected buildings by a third party appeal. The Authority will over the coming days also be introducing heftier penalties and daily fines against illegal development.