PA orders immediate removal of unauthorised structure outside Piccolo Padre in Sliema

The Planning Authority (PA) has ordered the immediate removal of an unauthorised structure erected in front of a catering establishment on The Strand in Sliema, following complaints over the use of public space, pedestrian accessibility and road safety.

The enforcement notice, EC/122/26, concerns works outside the new Piccolo Padre restaurant at the Centric Hotel, at the corner of Triq il-Lunzjata and The Strand. The restaurant is owned by Carlo Stivala and is the first expansion since it was set up in Balluta in the 1970s, becoming a household name.

According to reports, the development includes a retractable awning projecting onto the pavement and partly over the carriageway, supported by a pillar positioned within the road area. The case also concerns tiles laid over part of the road beneath the structure and planters placed around its perimeter.

In a statement, the PA confirmed that the enforcement notice requires the “immediate removal” of the unauthorised structure.

The authority said it had received a number of complaints while the structure was being erected, including representations from the Sliema Local Council. Concerns centred on the occupation of public space as well as its potential implications for pedestrian accessibility and road safety.

The PA said it acted immediately after receiving the complaints and initiated enforcement action to address the unauthorised development.

The enforcement notice follows earlier instructions issued to the contravener to stop all works on site, according to the authority.

The Sliema Local Council had called for immediate enforcement action over the development.

It also highlighted potential accessibility issues for wheelchair users and visually impaired pedestrians, as well as concerns over the structure's proximity to the carriageway and a street intersection.

The Sliema Residents Association similarly called for action, while NGO Moviment Graffitti threatened direct action unless commercial activity beneath the structure ceased and the structure was removed.

The PA has warned that if those responsible do not comply with the enforcement notice without delay, it will take further enforcement action within its remit to ensure compliance.