New & now
New trek unlocked! Controversial Bahrija gate set to be removed
If the PA refuses the application to regularise the gate, the owners will have to remove it or face fines of up to €50 a day.

Kim Vella

Has a weirdly placed gate ever blocked you from accessing Bahrija’s Blata tal-Melh cliffside path?   

Well, as it turns out, this infamous barrier is actually in breach of rural policy, so it might be getting removed very soon!  

Installed in 2021, this gate blocks public access to the stretch of coastline south of Ras ir-Raħeb and Fomm ir-Riħ Bay. 

Its fate is now set to be determined by the Planning Authority on 25th February during a sitting which will conclude whether or not the application to regularise said gate will be accepted. 

Illegal gate

This photo taken from a MaltaToday article shows the gate in question. 

Quoting a case officer, MaltaToday reported that the gate in question is ‘in breach of the rural policy which precludes gates blocking pre-1967 footpaths’. 

Therefore, the application to regularise the structure is expected to be refused. 

If the PA does refuse the application, the owners will have to remove the gate or face daily fines of up to €50 a day. 

Have you ever come across this gate?   

11th February 2022


Kim Vella
Written by
Kim Vella
A highly curious explorer always looking to find her next adventure. Kim loves sharing her experiences and what's happening on the Maltese Islands. When not writing, you’ll probably find her playing around with some clay or somewhere surrounded by trees. She's always up for listening to people's stories about anything to do with nature, a passion project or issue you feel needs tending to.

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