Of sanctionings and deferments

Abstract

With all the goodwill in this country to stave off illegal building and with all the claims that the dark planning ages of the Seventies and Eighties are well and truly defunct, some cases surface occasionally as if to hint that there are still ways and means (albeit subtle ones) to beat the system. A case in point is the notorious bungalow at Gebel Ghawzara, l/o Bidnija and Burmarrad. It all started towards the end of 2002, when an already existing (but modest) agricultural building was demolished illegally and a new one (much larger and more plush) sprouted in its stead. MEPA, according to a well-oiled script, on May 5, 2003 duly meted out an enforcement notice - 00159/03. Still faithful to the same old script, the applicant, buoyed by a renowned architect, applied (in 02573/03) "to regularise changes in building configuration to achieve better outlook and remove dangerous construction" - simply attempting to sugar the pill of the word 'sanctioning'. The 'dangerous construction' phrase has become clichéd in planning circles, especially in cases referring to agricultural buildings such as farmhouses.