The Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change and the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes in consultation with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) are issuing for public consultation a proposed amendment in the procedure for minor modifications to subsidiary plans.
MEPA said that currently, a Planning Control (PC) application for a change in zoning or street alignment is subject to written declaration signed by at least 75% of owners in the area affected. Properties on the opposite side of the road are considered to be adjacent properties and where necessary, the Authority may also request the submission of the legal proof of ownership of land owned by parties affected.
The aim of revising this Legal Notice is to simplify and reduce the bureaucratic burden from the applicants by removing the need for written consent by affected third parties and so facilitate the processing of planning control applications.
The obligation that affected third parties are to be notified by the applicant and the provisions for third parties to make submissions to the Authority shall not be affected by this revision. This revision does not apply for Planning Control applications related to rationalisation sites, MEPA said.
The draft amendment can be viewed in English and Maltese here [1].
Individuals and organisations are being invited to send their submissions pertaining to this new proposed amendment.
Representations are to be made in writing to:
The Chief Executive Officer
P.O Box 200
Marsa GPO 01
or through email address: feedback@mepa.org.mt [2].
Submissions should reach the Authority by the 14th of November, 2014