‘Politicians with a moral conscience need to immediately put damaging planning policies on a moratorium’

Joanna Spiteri Staines is the Director of Openworkstudio and Nidum, and an expert in the conservation of historic buildings. She also sits on the Din l-Art Ħelwa Council and has extensive experience fighting development proposals she believes are “destroying our built cultural heritage and natural environment”.

Current planning policies, she warns, are “lining the pockets of the few” with no attention to quality, aesthetics, or future sustainability.

Her comments were featured as part of the cover story of the December issue of Business Now magazine, the sister brand to BusinessNow.mt. The cover story highlights comments from key figures in Malta’s building and development sector, on how the country can turn back the tide on overdevelopment.

“I think the most pressing issue is for politicians, planners and experts in the field who really care about the country to come together and study the issue,” she says. “In the meantime, politicians with a moral conscience need to immediately put damaging policies on a moratorium until we understand where this country should be heading in terms of social, cultural and economic development.”

Perit Spiteri Staines calls for an urgent national discussion on the future of the country – from conservation areas, to urban greenery, rural areas and mobility – with the goal of clear incentives and disincentives to drive us forward.

 These comments were first featured as part of Business Now magazine’s December edition cover story, exploring the pressing issue of overdevelopment in Malta. Business Now magazine is the sister brand to BusinessNow.mt, both produced by Content House Group