Parliamentary Secretary Dr Michael Farrugia has announced today that development applications in line with local plans and MEPA policies will be automatically approved without the need for further consideration by case officers and the MEPA commissions.

This will mean that the MEPA caseload which currently needs to be handled by the Environmental Planning Commission will drop by around 50%, the Parliamentary Secretary said..

Dr Farrugia also outlined the tariff changes which will range between 8% and 55% depending on the permit category, and said that despite the resulting drop in revenue, Mepa’s finances are expected to improve because the decrease in the cost of permits would encourage more people to submit applications, and this increased volume would therefore cover any shortfall.

Restoration of properties in village cores will not attract any MEPA fees at all as long as demolition is not involved, this is aimed at encouraging rehabilitation and restoration of existing vacant properties, Dr Farrugia said.

Speaking on the land reclamation project, Dr Farrugia said that the government would be inviting the private sector to participate not only with their ideas, but also with concrete investment.

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