According to Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri, the Planning Authority is bringing forward “holistic reforms that will provide unprecedented strength against abuse and a new page in the planning sector in favour of greater sensitivity and responsibility.”

This Minister was speaking during a meeting with journalists, together with the Chief Executive of the Planning Authority, Johann Buttigieg.

There has been a huge backlash from the Opposition, NGOs, groups and civil society across the board, criticising the contents of the bills which were tabled last week, with criticism includes among others on the speed that it is being pushed through and the fact that there has been no public consultation.

When asked by journalists present why no public consultation was undertaken, Johann Buttigieg said that it was “to avoid speculation.”

Minister Camilleri stated that the amendments “reflect the new realities of a country that is continuing to be successful and therefore must give increasing priority to discipline, clarity and certainty in planning.”

He explained how, over several years and under different administrations, “mistakes were made that caused anomalies in development and difficulties in enforcement.”

Camilleri said that “others preferred to sweep everything under the carpet without stirring up controversy, but this Government believes that the time has come to grant people enhanced rights, control past irregularities and avoid future illegalities.”

“Among the reforms that will be carried out is that, for the first time, it will no longer be accepted to start construction work if an appeal has been lodged against the approved permit. That is, as soon as a citizen appeals, an automatic suspension of the permit will come into effect for 5 months, until the Authority’s Tribunal decides on that appeal,” said the Minister.

He added that “the Tribunal’s decision can also be appealed before the Court of Appeal. In that case, a new period of another 5 months will be triggered during which the development permit will be suspended.”

Regarding the situation of thousands of enforcement notices that have accumulated over many years and have created difficulties in the entire planning system, Minister Camilleri said that the Government had a choice between the “status quo and a realistic solution that will give our country a new page.”

He added that the Planning Authority will therefore provide a “one-time opportunity so that anyone who has carried out work not in accordance with the permit or without a permit will be obliged to come forward and pay for their actions with heavy fines. This scheme applies to those who, through their irregularity, have not created a detriment to others.”

The Government is committing that the money received from this scheme will go to a fund that finances environmental and public projects in communities, said the minister.

Camilleri said that these changes will bring with them a “drastic increase in fines against abuse. In fact, the daily fine for illegality will be increasing from a maximum of 50 euros to a maximum of 2,000 euros.”

“The proposed amendments are intended to improve efficiency, so that the public, in this case both the applicant and the appellant, have a fairer and more modern system that addresses the current anomalies and provides a clearer interpretation of the procedures in favour of sustainable development and environmental protection,” stated Camilleri.

He concluded by saying that “the message is now clear. Our country must open a new page in planning that emphasises good practices that ensure sensitivity and responsibility.”

Ten organisations are calling a Press Conference today, Monday, the 28th of July, at 6pm, in front of Parliament, in light of what the describe as the “deeply concerning situation.”

Photo: DOI

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