Ghawdix, in a statement on Monday expressed its strong disagreement with the proposed amendment to Policy P35 of DC15.
”We strongly oppose the review of P35 DC15 as it currently stands,” the NGO said. ”It is essential to develop policies that genuinely reflect the needs and concerns of the community, prioritise sustainable development, and protect the unique character of our urban and rural landscapes.”
Ghawdix stressed that ”the proposed changes to policy P35, without such consideration, risk undermining the principles of good planning and the long-term well-being of our environment and communities.
The NGO argued that ”the proposed changes could exacerbate the issue of overdevelopment, particularly in urban areas already struggling with high density and inadequate infrastructure.”
It stated that ”by potentially expanding the allowable number of building levels for various facade heights, the revision of P35 risks encouraging developers to maximise building heights, further straining local services and diminishing the quality of life for residents.”
‘The NGO pointed out that this approach ”undermines the original intent of DC15, which was to promote a context-driven approach to development rather than a one-size-fits-all height allowance.”
Moreover, the NGO stressed that ”the proposed amendments fail to adequately consider the environmental and aesthetic impacts of increased building heights. The visual impact on historic streetscapes and urban conservation areas could be detrimental, disrupting the architectural harmony and cultural heritage that define many Maltese towns and cities.”
Ghawdix went on to say that one of the authors of the controversial DC15, has himself criticised the planning policy, stating: ‘the principle of how this is being done and how heights were calculated, I don’t think that it is correct, and I don’t think it is a good thing that we are squashing in as many floors as possible right at the threshold of sanitary standards.” He added that it ”flies in the face of the principles of sustainable development.”
Additionally, Ghawdix said that ”it is ironic that the Labour Party, which heavily criticised the local plans created in 2006 by the Nationalist government, is now not only failing to address those criticisms but is making the situation worse.”
This, it said, ”was followed by the farce of the proposed Circular 2/24, which aims to formalise the conversion of building height from Local Plans approved between 1995 and 2006 into overall heights in meters, integrating these converted limitations into the Local Plans Interpretation Document as official guidance.”
”This starkly contrasts with recent celebrations by the Ministry for Gozo and Planning regarding victories in preserving globigerina facades. Instead, it underscores a disregard for the primary concern: streetscape fragmentation due to pencil development, rendering arguments based on a net number of floors obsolete and potentially exacerbating the issue by allowing for greater density within confined spaces,” stated Ghawdix.
It insisted that ”a significant overhaul of local plans seems off the table, with authorities citing concerns of ‘great injustice’ and the protection of property rights.”
The NGO pointed out that Prime Minister Robert Abela, for instance, has argued against such revisions, asserting that they would cause ‘great injustice’ and stating that the government ‘cannot revoke people’s property rights.’
Additionally, Ghawdix said that in 2021 he told The Malta Independent that the local plans ‘created rights for property owners and it is not as simple as saying that the Government will change the local plan and the rights that these owners have…’
”This position does not seem to have changed three years later,” said Ghawdix.
It highlighted that ”quite ironically, during a business breakfast entitled ‘A Sustainable Model for Gozo,’ the Prime Minister stated that the Government wants Gozo to remain a diamond in the Mediterranean, but a dynamic one that offers the right opportunities for its people. This vision seems at odds with the proposed amendments, which threaten to erode the very qualities that make Gozo and other Maltese towns unique.”
Ghawdix concluded by calling on the government and the Ministry for Gozo and Planning to ”treat our concerns with the seriousness they deserve and to stop treating us like blithering idiots. Our communities deserve thoughtful, sustainable development policies that enhance our quality of life rather than diminish it.”
Photo Ghawdix: ”It will become more possible for buildings like this one to be built with the proposed amendments to P35. The village skylines in Gozo have already been distorted. These amendments will guarantee their doom.”