PA permits in St Julian's, Gżira and Msida more than doubled in a decade
Planning minister tables 11 years of data for St Julian’s, Gżira, Msida and San Ġwann
St Julian’s, Gżira and Msida saw development permits more than double over the past decade, while nearby San Ġwann recorded a similarly steep rise, new figures tabled in parliament reveal.
The figures reveal that while planning permits issued are down significantly from massive spikes experienced in 2017 and 2018, they remain considerably higher than issuing numbers a decade ago.
Malta saw its population increase by almost 30 per cent over the past decade, with much of that population growth focused on high-density areas like St Julian's and Gżira.
Tabled in parliament on Monday, data on planning pemits was provided by Planning Minister Clint Camilleri in response to a parliamentary question by PN MP Graziella Attard Previ, who asked for annual planning permits for the four towns from 2013 to 2024.
Camilleri said the figures presented included all sorts of planning permits, ranging from those for new buildings to others related to alterations, reductions or changes of use for buildings. They also include full, outline and renewal permits.
In St Julian’s, permit numbers peaked in 2017 with 256 issued, while the lowest figure was 83 in 2013. Last year, 165 permits were granted.
Gżira registered its highest figure in 2019 with 195 permits, compared to just 57 in 2013. In 2023, the number stood at 123.
In Msida, permits rose from 63 in 2013 to a peak of 214 in 2018, before falling to 129 last year.
San Ġwann followed a similar trend, climbing from 67 permits in 2013 to 224 in 2018, and easing to 119 in 2023.
Camilleri clarified that the statistics exclude any permits that were later revoked by the Planning Authority, the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, or the courts; or withdrawn or dismissed due to non-compliance by applicants.
Attard Previ also asked about pending planning applications in Sliema and St Julian’s. Camilleri said that, as of May 5, there were 174 pending applications in Sliema and 165 in St Julian’s. These also include all types of permit applications.