Watch: Government will not withdraw planning reform bill, aims for 'improvement'

The government will not be withdrawing the planning reform bills, but conceded there is room for improvement on certain points, as discussions will continue to ensure “reasonable and balanced” solutions are found, Robert Abela said on Monday.

The prime minister was speaking to journalists two days after thousands of people marched in protest against Bills 143 and 144, calling for them to be withdrawn. The protest was endorsed by over 70 NGOs, 163 academics and various political parties. They vowed to repeat the protest in a week if the controversial bills were not withdrawn.

Pressed on whether the government would heed the call, Abela conceded that there are “points that can be modified and improved” but insisted the government will not withdraw them, rather will proceed with the consultation process “to continue improving the bills”.

“We should aim for reasonableness and balance,” the prime minister said.

“There are elements that are necessary in order to give certainty in the planning laws. And there are points that can be modified and improved upon. I believe we can reach a solution that may not necessarily please everyone but will offer peace of mind for all those who raised concerns.”

While he appreciated that such a debate on planning reforms leads to difference of opinions, Abela insisted the bills “should not allow exaggerations”.

“That was never the plan,” he added.

He explained that the main aim of the planning reforms was to eliminate uncertainty and misinterpretation of the existing laws.

“[The reform] should ensure that uncertainty does not prevail in planning laws. The worst thing about the law as it stands now is that it is full of uncertainty and lacks clear, strict parameters, and we have seen where that has led us. That was the aim of our bills. I believe we can reach a decent and reasonable solution.”

One of the most controversial aspects of Bill 144, the appeals process, is expected to be revised as a version seen by Times of Malta indicates that the government will reverse its plan to slash appeals deadlines to 20 days, returning that to the original 30-day limit currently in place.

No limit to appeals

On Monday, the prime minister confirmed the government does not intend to limit the public’s right to appeals.

“I would never push such a measure, but it should be exercised within clear parameters,” Abela said, adding that “there are so many inconsistencies in the law as it currently stands that a reform was necessary”.

“We can improve what there is. Discussions can revolve around how to improve the laws.”

Pressed on which part of the bills would he improve or amend, Abela gave the example how he would ensure that those people who have a “room” in the countryside, “such as hunters and trappers or those who use them for recreational purposes”, will not face heavy fines.

“The amounts should be reasonable so that the ‘ordinary citizen’ can benefit too. Reforms should not benefit big [developers] to the detriment of the ordinary citizen,” he added.

A committee led by the prime minister’s head of secretariat, Mark Mallia, and including various ministers, has been tasked by Prime Minister Robert Abela with working on redrafts of Bills 143 and 144.