The Malta Developers Association is shocked with the news that another building adjacent to a site being developed has partly collapsed – this time in Hamrun.
It is obvious that excavation works are being undertaken on sites without thorough investigations on the structural situation of party walls that are adjacent to proposed works and that the structural stability of such party walls cannot be taken for granted.
MDA joins the general public on the need that something must be urgently done about this issue.
In the light of such incidents, MDA will support any action taken by government on excavation works adjacent to existing buildings in order to safeguard public safety.
The authorities should urgently appoint a steering committee to draw up regulations in the case of all sites where buildings with party walls are to be demolished and replaced. These regulations will make mandatory the investigations required on the structural stability of existing buildings and the drawing up of method statements on how they will be safeguarded.