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29.08.19 16 TOWNSCAPES THE Executive Council of the Plan- ning Authority has decided to extend the regularisation scheme by a further year without increasing the applicable rates. Over the past three years, the Plan- ning Authority has received over 13,000 submissions from owners who wished to regularise their non-sanc- tionable property. Of these, just under 12,000 submissions got validated re- sulting in nearly €29 million in reve- nue through this scheme alone. The majority of the monies collect- ed from this scheme, up to 70%, are utilised for community schemes such as the ever popular Irrestawra Darek grant scheme. 20% is allocated to- wards the Development Planning Fund, to be utilised by localities in community improvement projects. Back in August 2016, the Authority launched the regularisation scheme with the prime purpose of facilitat- ing the sale of properties which were idle on the market due to irregulari- ties that were not sanctionable. Reg- ularisation can only be considered if a property is located entirely within the development boundaries and ap- pears in the Authority's aerial photos of 2016 – nothing after. The illegality cannot be creating an injury to amenity and the use of the building must be according to current policies. If one of these conditions cannot be satisfied, then the scheme cannot be applied. The applicable fee is calculat- ed on the total and combined roofed over area of each floor of the property being regularised. Property owners who wish to regu- larise their non-sanctionable proper- ty in the coming 12 months will not be charged a surcharge of 25%, as is prescribed in Legal Notice 285/16. Following the overwhelming response in applications received over the past three years, the Planning Authority decided to retain the applicable rate for a further year, giving owners the chance to benefit from this opportu- nity. For more information visit www. pa.org.mt Regularisation scheme to be extended - fees to remain the same for another year

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