Gozitan developer Mark Agius wants discount on parking compensation after operating illegal restaurant in Xlendi

The Shift Team - 27. February. 2024

Mark Agius – a Gozitan developer known as Ta’ Dirjanu and a business partner of developer Joseph Portelli, has asked the Planning Authority for a significant discount on a planning gain compensation he was asked to pay after sanctioning a raft of illegalities related to his restaurant in Xlendi.

The Terrazzo restaurant has significantly expanded over the years, increasing the number of patrons it can serve. While the illegal expansions were recently sanctioned with minimal fines, Agius was asked to pay a €173,000 fee to compensate for the added parking spaces his business will use.

Through his architect, Emanuel Vella, Agius filed a reconsideration request before the Planning Authority, asking to reduce his contribution to the Urban Improvement Fund by half.

According to Agius, the Planning Authority miscalculated the payments on the “wrong assumption” that his restaurant would need 23 car spaces, and he would only need 13.

The restaurant is considered one of the most popular in the area due to its uninterrupted views over the bay and sea beyond, and it can host up to 200 people at any one time.

Agius purchased the illegally built restaurant from a fellow Gozitan businessman in 2022. Featuring a vast outdoor dining area, it was initially permitted to be 75 square metres, but it grew to some 300 square metres, illegally, to accommodate more clients.

While the Planning Authority has issued various enforcement orders against the illegal restaurant over the years, no action was taken, and Agius immediately applied for sanctioning as soon as he acquired the restaurant.

Despite recommendations by the planning directorate against the sanctioning, stating that “the proposed structures in a Natura 2000 area scheduled for its high landscape value and ecological importance, run counter to various policies in the Gozo and Comino local plan,” the government-appointed planning commission, presided by Martin Camilleri, ignored the refusal recommendation and sanctioned all the illegalities.

In addition, Agius paid a fine of just €1,800, and was ordered to pay the planning gain compensation which he is now disputing.

Agius, whose family owns the Ta’ Dirjanu supermarket chain in Gozo, has become a successful developer in recent years and is the main partner of construction tycoon Joseph Portelli.

With another partner, Daniel Refalo, the holder of a deckchair-leasing concession in Comino, the trio are also involved in developing an illegal concrete batching plant on public land in Kercem, which is operating illegally without government intervention.

The Gozo Ministry is a regular client of the concrete produced at this illegal plant.

0 0 votes

Article Rating

12 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Guest

Nigel Baker

1 year ago

Everyone is being beaten to death by the incessant arrogance enjoyed by a privileged few who have absolutely no sense of responsibility for the overall destruction of their own country. How long can this situation possibly last? In my opinion, only for as long as the Maltese people remain complacent. Remember, there are many ‘foreigners’ who have long contributed to the Maltese exchequer through taxation and general cost of living expenses, but have no say in the leadership of the country they regard as their home. You can be sure that if they did, things would be very different!

Guest

Toni Borg

1 year ago

Mhux hekk…sahha bela kull m’hemm issa jrid id-discount ukoll!!!

Wiccu u l-ghatba tal-qorti lis stess dal bniedem….imma jaf li ha jsib minn jiprotegieh u jaqbez ghalih….issa izjed u izjed li hemm il-ministru Clint Camilleri!!!

Guest

Cikka

1 year ago

Xlendi is a dump with exaggerated buildings everywhere. They build without permit, then after they are sanctioned even if they are still illegal. Money talks.

Guest

Winston Smith

1 year ago

Literature on how the Mafia operates reveals that they are known to invest in three key areas: construction, restaurants and gambling. The winning trifecta that allows for vasts amounts of unabated money laundering due to difficulties to monitor every transaction. They ‘the Mafia’ also use their resources to evade the law, deter any form of investigation and obtain concessions which would be impossible for common citizens. Just an impromptu observation about the Mafia!

Guest

Joseph

1 year ago

Turns your stomach to read these things first thing in the morning..in Malta it is now the norm that whoever breaks the law is encouraged and compensated, while the honest people are trodden upon and bullied by the authorities

Guest

Joseph Tabone Adami

1 year ago

That is indeed very nice.

Dirjanu’s objecting to the fines imposed by the authorities for their illegalities.

If ever there were an instance of brazen shamelessness, this is it.

One wonders what Dirjanu’s would say were a customer at their supermarkets to similiarly object to the price of an object if he/she somehow deems it to be barefacedly high.

Guest

Simon Camilleri

1 year ago

Sadly for the minority of us most of the Maltese people are greedy selfish gahans who will vote for the party that gives them a voucher. Until the demographics of Malta changes we are stuck with these thieves. Of course once Maltese is finally eradicated as a nation and a culture in the next decade or so it won’t matter anymore anyway. Good riddance to us I say, we get what we deserve. I won’t be here.

Guest

Simon Camilleri

1 year ago

No get it right. Only the PL and their rats who break the law are encouraged. Honest people stand no chance here but honest people don’t vote PL so they don’t care.