NGO Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar has in a statement today that “the news that expired planning permits issued after August 2006 have automatically been extended until March next year, comes at a time when most towns and villages in Malta are saturated by over-development which is undermining residents’ health by increasing the rate of pollution and depriving residents of light and air.”

FAA stated, “following on MEPA’s misguided new policy to allow hotels to build an additional two floors and the Government’s encouragement of land reclamation, it seems clear that this Government is determined to fulfil all pre-election promises to the development sector, while ignoring its obligation to protect public health.

“This also flies in the face of warnings from the IMF and the EU that Maltese banks are already over-dependent on the construction sector.”

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar said that it “is particularly concerned about the automatic renewal of abusive permits where the original permit was granted on wrongful application of policy.”

“Promoting the interests of one sector, at the cost of the nation’s long-term economic, social and environmental interest is short-sighted and ultimately damaging,” FAA concluded.

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