Consultations on planning reforms ‘in coming days’

The government will soon open its proposed planning reforms to public consultation, while also engaging with activists and developers in an effort to find common ground on the controversial amendments.

Prime Minister Robert Abela pledged broad consultations shortly after his government faced backlash over its proposed overhaul of Malta’s planning system.

Government sources say a public consultation will be launched in the coming days and is expected to remain open for approximately four weeks.

At the same time, the government will be holding talks with environmental groups and developers to try and find as much common ground as possible before publishing a revised version of the planning laws.

Sources said a government team, led by the prime minister’s head of secretariat Mark Mallia, will also include Planning Minister Clint Camilleri and possibly other cabinet members.

They will sit opposite a team who will speak on behalf of eNGOs and residents’ groups. This team will most likely include activists Wayne Flask and Ingram Bodin, and environmental lawyer Claire Bonello.

“The reason we approached Wayne Flask is because we had informal talks with him and his NGO (il-Kollettiv) over the Tal-Bebbux area in Żurrieq. We came to an agreement there and following that, the government sees him as someone with whom we can have a working relationship,” one senior government official said.

Recently, the government scrapped plans to build a road through farmland in the Tal-Bebbux area in Żurrieq.

Contacted for comment, Flask confirmed that he has had informal talks with government representatives recently and will continue with more formal discussions in the coming days.

“We aim to engage in dialogue and find the most broadly acceptable solution,” Flask said.

The same group of people will also meet with the Malta Development Association (MDA), the Kamra tal-Periti (Chamber of Architects), and possibly other stakeholders.

News of the government’s plans to overhaul the planning system was revealed late last month.

Two pieces of legislation – bills 143 and 144 – have been tabled in parliament.

One of the bills overhauls the appeals process for development applications. The second bill gives the Planning Authority and planning minister new powers.

The government is also planning to publish a legal notice which will allow property owners to regularise their illegal buildings (described as a “concession”) both inside and outside the development zone, in return for a fine.

NGOs described the amendments as a “developers’ wish list” and an “existential struggle for Malta”.

Government sources said that they are confident that following talks, NGOs and the government will find common ground on several points in the legislation.

“Especially when it comes to the appeals reform, I think we will be able to come to an agreement on most issues,” the government official said.

“When it comes to the other bill that amends the main act and the concession, there will be more disagreements,” they predicted.

As currently tabled in parliament, Bill 143 will give the Planning Authority new powers to override established policies – like the local plans – and establish a “hierarchy of policies” where the most recent policies override older ones when there is a conflict.

“There will be points that I think the NGOs will not agree on even after the talks,” they said.

One point where the government is willing to give ground is over the minister’s proposed power to revive expired permits.

“That proposal was put forward in case an event like COVID-19 were to occur again. At the time, we responded in an ad hoc manner. With this amendment, we aimed to establish a clear procedure in case a similar situation arises again.”

“But if it’s such a big issue we can respond in the same way we did during COVID, should a similar situation arise again.”