Client
Mellieha Holiday Centre
Project Background
In 2007, the Environment and Resource Authority (ERA), granted an extension of The Mellieha Holiday Centre (MHC), a three-star bungalow resort, also known as Danish Village.
The extension, listed with the outline permit application, PA 05833/09, was reassessed in 2016, in line with the parameters established by the outline permit.
The development consisted of the extension of 30 new holiday units; each with an area covering between 90 and 110 square meters.
Request
ERA required MHC to prepare Environmental Permit, Nature Permit, and Tree permit applications as a requisite to the approved planning permit.
MHC appointed AIS Environment to shoulder all the work related to the aforementioned requirements.
Our Input:
Environmental Permit
An environmental permit encompasses various environmental aspects of ordinary procedures carried out on-site, namely quantities, handling, storage, and processing of raw materials, chemicals, waste, effluent, atmospheric emissions, and other environmental factors.
Nature Permit
AIS Environment also applied for various Nature Permits for multiple restoration interventions proposed on the garigue habitat (Habitat 5330) at the Natura 2000 site (L-inhawi tal-Ghadira):
- Removal of alien species such as the Acacia tree and Agave species, which are detrimental to sensitive garigue species.
- Restoration of disused footpaths.
- Setting up of a low boundary wall that delineates the existing footpaths to limit the effects of trampling and encroachment.
- Planting of indigenous species such as the Mediterranean Thyme and the Maltese Spurge.
Tree Permit
- Our experts first mapped all trees for all species within the site.
- We then identified the trees which needed to be uprooted within the development footprint, and established a landscaping scheme that described the compensatory planting measures.
- The application form was then submitted to ERA and a tree permit was issued to authorise such works.
Results
The Environmental Permit for the MHC was issued in August 2020. Six nature and tree permits for MHC were issued between 2017 and 2020.
The AIS team monitored the sites in line with the nature permit and development permit conditions, guiding the contractors and operators along the way.
We also liaised with ERA on behalf of the client, to ensure a smooth process.
