ERA approves uprooting of indigenous trees at Prime Minister’s ODZ villa

Tista’ taqra dan l-artiklu bil-Malti

The Prime Minister has obtained a quick green light from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to uproot up to 20 mature and indigenous trees from his newly-acquired Outside Development Zone property in Zejtun.

The obligatory environmental permit was part of Robert and Lydia Abela’s plan to raze the villa, located on two tumoli of land, that they acquired under dubious circumstances in 2017 for a bargain price of €600,000. The property is to be converted into a modern villa.

The Planning Authority, led by Abela’s hand-picked CEO Oliver Magro, had already approved the development plan and the ERA followed suit by approving the uprooting and transplanting of large mature trees in the lush garden and former animal quarters.

Work on the development, which will be led by veteran architect Ray Demicoli, has not yet started.

According to the planning permit, the Abelas will be demolishing the old villa, much of which was built illegally through a 1985 permit, and replacing it with a new large dwelling overlooking a garden and pool.

The three-storey ODZ building will consist of a basement, three bedrooms and a gym.

Robert Abela and his wife, both lawyers by profession, are known to have dealt in construction and development for several years while serving as legal advisors to the Planning Authority on a €17,000-a-month retainer.

They acquired the ODZ Zejtun property back in 2017 for the declared price of €600,000 even though the property’s estimated market price was over €2 million.

When questioned about whether he had declared the property’s true value in his tax declaration, Abela insisted that he had.

The Shift, however, has revealed that the Inland Revenue Commissioner at the time, Marvin Gaerty, had not even sent assessors as per standard practice, and as required by law, to draw up an independent valuation for the newly-acquired property.

It later resulted through The Shift’s investigations that the Abelas signed the final contract just a few days after the Planning Authority agreed to sanction the former owners’ illegalities.

The Abelas have meanwhile also applied to transform a farmhouse in Xewkija, Gozo into a seven-bedroom ‘residence’.  The Gozo project also involves an indoor pool and a spa.

According to his last declaration of assets, the Prime Minister is currently getting by on his salary alone and his wife did not declare any income.