A Cypriot delegation from the Town Planning and Housing Department and the Public Administration and Personnel Department (PAPD) is in Malta on a three day visit to identify and employ good practices which could be adopted by the Town Planning and Housing Department of the Ministry of Interior in Cyprus.

This visit, which is being hosted by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA), is part of a wider study project, the Cypriot Government has undertaken which is co-financed by the European Social Fund, namely “Re-organization and improvement of the administrative capacity of the Public Administration and Personnel Department (PAPD) (Ministry of Finance) and the Labour Department (Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance).”

The Cypriot Government has commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers (Cyprus) to conduct a benchmarking study to identify best practices in EU countries, which, among others areas include town planning and housing.

Over the past days a number of MEPA officials presented and discussed with the delegates various aspects of the local planning system including the Authority’s advanced geoportal accessibility and e-application system, heritage planning, development permitting, enforcement procedures and mapping services.

The delegates were also briefed on how the planning legal framework within which the Authority carries out its responsibilities has developed over the years.

The delegates paid a courtesy visit to the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes Dr Michael Farrugia.

Permalink: MEPA hosts Cypriot delegation studying good town planning