An illegal concrete batching plant was assembled in Gozo over the past weeks and the Planning Authority only moved to stop the abuse this week after being informed about it by the Times of Malta.
The Times of Malta has been following the assembly of the large imported batching plant in a Kerċem quarry for the past eight weeks.
Heavy plant and equipment were carried through various Gozitan villages on trucks belonging to construction magnate Joseph Portelli, of J. Portelli Projects.
They were taken to an active soft-stone quarry known as Ta’ Qasam San Pawl. The facility, which is now completed and can produce concrete, was assembled by construction workers and engineers over the past weeks on a sizeable site within the quarry even though no permits have been issued yet.
Industry sources commented that although it was common knowledge in Gozo that the illegal batching plant was being assembled, the authorities seemed to have closed both eyes and did not intervene.
When the Times of Malta informed the Planning Authority about the matter, a spokesman said the planning watchdog only got wind of what was going on in Kerċem when approached by this newspaper.
“The authority had not…
