In a statement on Friday, ten Maltese environmental and heritage NGOs have raised alarm over the proposed amendments to the Development Notification Order (DNO), presented “under the guise of Class 24 Greening Projects.”

The organisations argued that “despite its misleading title, this legal change is not about greening but about giving authorities and developers free rein to construct limitless structures, facilities, and installations – without public scrutiny or appeal.”

The document submitted by the organisations to the public consultation can be accessed here.

They pointed out that under this proposal, “Project Green and other entities would be granted unchecked power to build in Outside Development Zones (ODZ) and urban areas through a back-door mechanism that bypasses established planning policies. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.”

The organisations went on to say that the proposed amendments allow for “unlimited structures, installations, hard landscaping, and even permanent demountable facilities – without any height, volume, or material restrictions.”

“This could pave the way for the proliferation of commercial structures in ODZs, the degradation of protected areas, and the destruction of Malta’s remaining green spaces,” they said.

The organisations stressed that “one of the most alarming aspects is the provision that effectively nullifies all existing safeguards under the Local Plan and other regulatory frameworks. With the stroke of a pen, the Planning Authority is proposing lawlessness, eliminating crucial environmental and public oversight.”

“Instead of enhancing public spaces, these changes serve as a smokescreen for unregulated construction, trampling on Malta’s natural and cultural heritage,” they said.

“We also remind the authorities of the tragic death of Jean Paul Sofia, where an unscrutinised Development Notification Order led to unsafe and unchecked construction practices. Despite the Board of Inquiry’s recommendation to eliminate such loopholes, the government is now attempting to expand this reckless system,” stated the organisations.

They concluded by calling on the government “to withdraw these dangerous amendments immediately and commit to genuine environmental restoration instead of greenwashing destructive policies.”

The ten organisations are:

Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura

BirdLife Malta

Din l-Art Helwa

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar

Ghawdix

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust Malta

The Archaeological Society Malta

The Ramblers’ Association of Malta

Wirt Ghawdex.

File photo

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