Labour Party president pushes Abela to revise planning reform plans
Alex Sciberras warns: 'Trust in the system is as important as the system itself'
Labour Party President Alex Sciberras is publicly urging Robert Abela to adjust planning reform proposals that have sparked outrage.
Sciberras said he understood the concerns many had expressed to him about the proposals and warned the government that “trust in the system is important as the system itself”.
His warning comes as anger about the plans to dramatically overhaul Malta’s planning system grows, with various Labour-leaning commentators saying the plans have stunned them.
Activist groups have also vocally opposed the changes, and on Sunday Moviment Graffitti’s Andre Callus challenged Labour MPs to declare their position.
“Where are ministers like Miriam Dalli, who are responsible for protecting Malta’s environment,” he asked.
The proposed changes would see, among other things, timeframes and grounds for appeals slashed, courts blocked from cancelling permits and the Planning Authority given the power to override local plans, which designate development zones.
Developers have welcomed the changes, saying they are "necessary".
On Sunday, The Sunday Times of Malta also revealed that the government wants to allow developers who have built illegally in Outside Development Zone areas to get those illegalities in line with the law by paying a large fine.
Labour Party president Sciberras, who was one of the first to express concern about the lack of public consultation concerning the planning law revisions, said in a post on Sunday that he wanted to see the proposals adapted in line with four key principles.
First, people’s right to appeal planning decisions that directly impact them had to be protected, he said. While it was important to reduce uncertainty for developers, the right to appeal should not be overly restrictive to the point that it impinged on people’s right to appeal, he said.
Second, any planning decision that deviates from the policy of the day should be justified with a public explanation and subject to revision.
Third, plans to allow development illegalities to be cleared by paying a fine should be better regulated to protect green spaces, discourage speculation and protect communities’ future needs.
And finally, Sciberras called for a National Planning Charter to be developed as part of the government’s Vision 2050 strategy, to ensure future development is shaped by the principles of sustainability, affordability and dignity.
“This is not about opposing development. It is about ensuring progress reflects our values,” Sciberras said, arguing that the Labour Party was all about planning for future generations and making sure nobody is left behind.
“Let us build a planning system that suits all of us, together,” he said.