Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar has condemned the planning amnesty rolled out by the Planning Authority "as a transparent attempt to legalise the illegal and serve as further payback to the construction lobby."

"Under the convenient euphemism of "regularising" the minor contraventions of hard-pressed first-time buyers, the Labour Government is giving major contraveners a fast- track amnesty procedure, promoting and encouraging Malta as Illegality Island," stated FAA.

It added that "the dismantling of existing planning and urban controls and the absolute lack of enforcement will lead to further planning chaos, urban congestion and poor standards of living, as malpractice and abuse within the construction industry keeps being rewarded.".

Previous legislation, referred to as a CTB, had already allowed owners to attain a form of concession for their illegalities on condition that they fit within clearly defined minor irregularities, since anything in excess was considered unsanitary or uninhabitable, said FAA.

The NGO added that "the new planning amnesty makes no such distinctions between types of irregularities, paving the way for developers to get clearance on major illegalities, with all decision-making at the sole discretion of the planning authority. "

"This legislation contravenes EU law as there is no clause stating that the decision-taking process should be carried out in front of the general public, blatantly dismissing the rights of neighbours and third party stakeholders," said FAA,

FAA pointed out that "the removal of the term 'illegal' as this law provides, by no means changes the illegal conditions of these buildings, and simply leaves potential buyers at risk of investing in unsanitary substandard properties, while encouraging developers to continue to maximise their profits by building such illegal properties which they can legalise later."

"Furthermore this amnesty also has a weakening effect in the economy as ethical developers who go through the extra expense in order to comply with regulations face unfair competition from cowboy-contractors who are handsomely rewarded for their abuse."

FAA stated that "the Labour government continues to reward illegality. Political opportunism and environmental insensitivity are the hallmark of the current administration."

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