Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1082991
NEWS 5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 FEBRUARY 2019 JAMES DEBONO TO the general relief of envi- ronmentalists already facing battles on multiple fronts, the government will not be chang- ing the development bounda- ries last enlarged in 2006, in the "foreseeable" future. "The government is not con- sidering any revisions of de- velopment boundaries for the foreseeable future," a spokes- person for planning minister Ian Borg told MaltaToday. Moreover, any revision of boundaries at any later stage will be following the provi- sions of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Devel- opment which foresees "mi- nor adjustments" to devel- opment boundaries "whilst ensuring that the overall re- sult does not constitute a sig- nificant change." Speculation on a pending re- vision of boundaries has been rife ever since the government commenced a revision of the local plans approved by a PN government in 2006 following a decade-long process. Information recently pre- sented in parliament revealed that the government was in- undated by proposals by land- owners to include their plots in development schemes. In Gozo alone, 497 submis- sions have been made, seeking permission to extend the de- velopment zones on parcels of land kept outside the bounda- ries. A spokesperson for Ian Borg refused to set a clear timeframe for the local plan revision process. "The revi- sion of the local plan is a long and laborious process and the authorities will continue their work in this regard," the gov- ernment spokesperson con- firmed. MaltaToday is informed that the government was actively considering compensating additional lands to the devel- opment zone by removing an equivalent amount of land from the development zone, a suggestion that was even made by the Prime Minister before the 2017 general elec- tion. But the risk of opening a veritable Pandora's box is keeping the government from tinkering with development zones, fully knowing that there is not enough public land to be taken out of the de- velopment schemes to satisfy the demands of landowners who want their land included. Some developers have even attempted to include new lands by presenting individ- ual zoning applications but a spokesperson for the Planning Authority had confirmed that such applications cannot be approved. In fact, two applica- tions to extend development zones in Ghasri and Xlendi are set to be refused on 5 March. Moreover, the local plans approved in 2006 coupled with more liberal planning policies introduced after 2013 have contributed to a record number of permits for new dwellings (13,000) approved in 2018. Meanwhile, the 2006 extension of building bounda- ries, which had to be complet- ed by 2013, remains unfin- ished business. In fact, twelve years after the approval of new development boundaries, the Planning Authority is still assessing applications by pri- vate developers to set zoning rules for 23 different pockets of land which together occupy a land area of approximately 156,000sq.m that is equiva- lent to the size of 22 football pitches. Moreover, while in the ab- sence of new boundaries no major residential develop- ment can take place in the ODZ, the rural policy ap- proved in 2013 has facilitated the conversion of old farm- steads including ruins, into full blown residences, thus partly accommodating some landowners. The local plan saga Writing in the Planning Au- thority's annual report for 2014, Executive Chairman Johann Buttigieg had said he expected the technical finali- sation of the draft local plans to be completed by June 2015. This had to be followed by a discussion with the govern- ment, followed by an eight- week public consultation pe- riod. Former parliamentary sec- retary Michael Falzon had justified tweaking the 2006 boundaries by accusing the former government of having been "creative" in including certain lands, but not others. But following the public out- cry against the development of the American University in Zonqor point, the gov- ernment started having cold feet. No progress on the new local plans was made under Falzon's successor, Deborah Schembri. The revision was postponed until after the 2017 general election. It is now quite possible that the process will be postponed closer to the date or even after the next general election. No revision of development zones in 'foreseeable future', minister says "The revision of the local plan is a long and laborious process and the authorities will continue their work in this regard," the government spokesperson confirmed