Government launches public consultation on controversial planning reform

The Government has launched a month-long public consultation exercise on a proposed overhaul of Malta’s planning system that has drawn vociferous opposition from several quarters.

The public consultation will be analysed by a working group led by the Prime Minister’s Head of Secretariat, Col. Dr Mark Mallia.

The group will be composed of Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg, Ministers Owen Bonnici, Clint Camilleri, Miriam Dalli and Jonathan Attard, Chief Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana and Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol.

Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg is an observer in this group, with Jessica Galea serving as his secretary.

The Government said the working group “will not only screen and analyse the submissions but will also meet key stakeholders in the open public consultation period.”

It insisted that the reform will “continue to strengthen the rights of the citizen including by changing the appeals process whereby development is suspended until a decision is made at the appeal stage with set time limits.”

The consultation will also consider two draft legal notices that will provide an amnesty-for-pay on past planning illegalities.

The proposed reform has been criticised across the board – by the Opposition, developers, architects, the business community and environmental organisations, for various reasons.

The Malta Chamber characterised the proposals as ad hoc changes that defeat the purpose of comprehensive reform, weaken civil society engagement, increase political interference and rewards illegalities while undermining rule of law.

The Kamra tal-Periti meanwhile offered to lead the reform process, warning that the absence of broad public participation is “not the correct approach.” The announced structure of the public consultation indicates that this offer was not taken up by Government.

Environmental activists have lambasted the reform, saying that it effectively dismantles safeguards against abusive development and eliminates any semblance of certainty in stability, with policies reduced to mere guidelines subject to the discretion of the Planning Authority’s decisionmakers.

The Malta Development Association (MDA) broadly welcomed the reform, but expressed serious concerns about changes to the appeal system that would see developments halted for several months pending a final decision.

The consultation is open until Sunday 7th September. The public can participate by accessing the Government of Malta’s public consultation website.