Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1267088
15 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 8 JULY 2020 COMMERCIAL "We must remember, though, that the Authority's biggest client is the 'silent' public, the ones who never actually submit a planning application. We are a public entity, not a private company and therefore we are expect- ed to ensure that the outcome of planning decisions benefits the wider community. "With Covid-19, we left it to the health experts, without any excessive debate because our lives were at stake. When it comes to planning, profes- sionals with the right educa- tion and experience should also take the lead. However, because planning is strongly linked with high economic stakes, various stakeholder interests transform it into a highly divisive process, not just in Malta." In Malta, the loudest and most influential sectorial voices have long trumped ex- pertise and effectively risked the dismantling of the plan- ning profession. And yet, at the same time the effects of the Authority's evolution provided Malta with markers of truly effective town planning. The vision for Valletta and the Three Cities that was encapsulated in the 1990 Structure Plan and tak- en forward by the Grand Har- bour Local Plan of 2002 is be- ing achieved. Skip ahead a few years and the area has been completely transformed from its previously rundown state. "The vision of the rehabilita- tion and regeneration of Val- letta was translated into the area's local plan, which then triggered private investment," Ms Borg explains. From a time when Valletta was only alive during office hours, the planning strategy brought life back into the capital." Borg is acutely conscious of the Authority having broken the public's trust in the past. Rebuilding that trust is a long journey, which starts with ful- ly understanding the role of the Authority. "It's the Authority that start- ed public consultations in Malta," Borg remarks. "With time, the public re- sponded and demands grew. We need to grasp the op- portunity and see how pub- lic engagement in the plan- ning process of today can be maximised. Of course, every decision taken will not be pleasing to everyone. But not taking decisions will lead to stagnation. That is why we have improved our processes to ensure that the Planning Authority implements the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Regulations in poli- cy making. In recent years, we've worked to systemat- ically screen planning poli- cies in terms of their poten- tial significant effects on the environment to determine whether or not a SEA would be required. The results are published online, a measure that increases transparency and accountability. Translating sustainabili- ty into its work is ultimately the Authority's legal mandate under the Development Plan- ning Act. But, as Borg says in her final thoughts, "But it is easier said than done. That said, we must re- member that we don't operate in a vacuum. There's a histor- ical context, and each gener- ation builds on the historical strata it inherits. "We can't simply eradicate what was previously done to impose utopia. But what we are seeing is democratic, open debate and some progressive steps being taken to meet the challenge of sustainable use of land resources. This is pos- itive and gives me hope." With Covid-19, we left it to the health experts, without any excessive debate because our lives were at stake. When it comes to planning, professionals with the right education and experience should also take the lead. However, because planning is strongly linked with high economic stakes, various stakeholder interests transform it into a highly divisive process, not just in Malta