Daily care

What development permission is so far required for child day care facilities?

Development permission is required for the construction and/or extension of a building to be used as a nursery or childcare centre; the change of use of any other type of property to a childcare centre/nursery catering for children under three years of age, except in the case of childcare facilities to be located in schools and kindergartens permitted under Class 8 of the 1994 Use Classes Order, which would not require an additional permit.

Home-based child day care facilities that meet the provisions of Use Class 1 (Dwellings) of the 1994 Use Classes Order, and its future revisions, do not require development permission.

For an application for development of a child day care centre to be accepted by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa), it will have to be accompanied by a letter of no objection from the Department for Social Welfare Standards (DSWS) (or the incumbent department), together with a copy of approved stamped plans from the same department.

Mepa will consult with the National Commission for Persons with Disability and the DSWS on the submitted plans (if original submitted plans have been changed).