Malta Developers Association ‘not interested’ in regularisation of Outside Development Zones properties

On Friday, the Malta Developers Association (MDA) said its members are categorically “not interested” in the regularisation of properties in Outside Development Zones (ODZ).

Earlier in November, the Planning Authority (PA) announced that a scheme to allow property owners to pay a fine to have their building illegalities regularised will be extended to properties that are partially located in ODZ.

In a statement, the MDA said:

“Developers buy within the development zone and apply according to the planning policies. The MDA was and remains against any type of development in our countryside.”

It went on to say that the legal notice amendments issued for public consultation are a measure “which will assist those many families that today cannot regularise a property within an ODZ area.”

These are properties which although covered with a building permit, have nonconformities which were allowed to take place over a number of years.

“Thousands of families cannot regularise their only property and whilst MDA is sensitive to the needs of these families, it will therefore be backing the legal notice and will be submitting some slight amendments to improve the said legal notice.”