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10 COMMERCIAL SPATIAL planning for Malta is a task of unfolding complexities. Providing strategic direction to this ever-evolving journey; the SPED is Malta's blueprint for sustainable development and envi- ronmental protection. "With the SPED, stakeholders came to- gether to create an overarching vision for Malta's development that would curb ur- ban sprawl. e idea was that all national policies and local plans would then work towards achieving the framework's long- term targets," Perit Joseph Scalpello, As- sistant Director in the PA's Policy Direc- torate, said. Urban and rural areas, as well as their interlinkages and protection, feature strongly in the SPED. Malta's urban zones are the country's hub of econom- ic activity, where people work, live and play. ey accommodate our economic, infrastructural, health, transport, hous- ing and social needs – but not all urban areas are the same. "Distinct characteristics between set- tlements prompt development limita- tions to protect the character of each settlement, which is why the SPED des- ignates a hierarchy of urban areas. Mal- ta's principal urban area – its economic motor – is an arc of built-up areas lead- ing from St Julian's towards Qormi and around the ports, where most jobs and housing are located," Scalpello said. "Regional settlements are large built- up areas detached from the main urban agglomeration. ink of Żurrieq, Rabat, Mellieħa and St Paul's Bay. en, our small urban areas are villages around each regional settlement. is approach helps us understand that each area has an individuality that deserves preserva- tion, which is enveloped in the need to protect and regenerate Malta's heritage as a whole – the heart of our identity." Beyond this, the aesthetics of archi- tectural interventions are important because innovative design and construc- tion can reduce eyesores and emissions, while also generating renewable energy from our rooftops, explains the Assistant Director. e stragtegy begins by concentrating growth in developed areas away from ru- ral land. Yet if urban sprawl is curtailed horizontally, development will reach upwards. So the question is, how much development do we actually need? "To improve quality of life, develop- ment cannot exceed the carrying ca- pacity of our urban areas, but interpret- ing this is contentious," Scalpello said. "Infrastructurally, population growth beyond that which our water, transport or health systems can support would signify overdevelopment. But visually, even if we could accommodate growth, our streetscapes' aesthetics can't be for- gotten. And then there's Malta's reliance on cars. Ultimately, Malta's development issues are always rooted in population growth and car dependency." Preventing overdevelopment from spilling into rural areas underpins Mal- ta's development zone boundaries. Our rural land sustains the population and must be protected for its agricultural and recreational purposes. "We escape to the countryside for clean air, less traffic and more biodiversity," stresses Perit Scalpello. "But it also sus- tains agriculture, which is an economic activity that can be environmentally dan- aging, resulting from large animal farms, greenhouses, pesticides and land recla- mation that covers garigue in soil. To de- fend our natural habitats, we must con- trol agricultural development because the value of land is not only economic." e SPED advocates for diversification to keep agriculture viable without over- development. e idea is that farmers can branch into activities that are not necessarily food production but are still related to it. But, again, definitions of what constitutes deversification of the rural economy can become murky. "Let's talk about agrotourism – is it sim- ply a hotel located in the countryside, or does it imply participation in agricultur- al activities?" Scalpello said. "e two are often conflated, leading to the relocation of conventional tourism from urban to rural areas. is is harmful and a trigger for urban sprawl and overdevelopment. "Similarly, the SPED stipulates that rural areas are for 'informal recreation', such as walking, cycling and enjoying nature , and not construction under the guise of recreation, such as country re- treats or sports facilities. We emphasise the need for untarmacked, country trails to make our environment more public- ly accessible. But we're battling a double whammy: as farmers opt for other eco- nomic activities and abandon agricul- tural land, overdevelopment is also oc- curring as buildings appear where they shouldn't." Looking ahead to the SPED's first re- vision, Scalpello said that the issues and objectives raised five years ago are even more relevant now. "We must continue prioritising our island's landscape in our spatial vision, local policies and every- day actions because any damage, once inflicted, is practically irreversible – and the responsibility lies on all of our shoul- ders." Malta's Strategic Plan for Environment and Development can be accessed via: https://www.pa.org.mt/strategic-plan Urban and rural development: 'one-size-fits-all' does not cut it 3.12.2020 In 2015, Malta's Structure Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) established a vision for sustainable development in Malta's urban and rural areas. Five years on, Perit Joseph Scalpello from the Planning Authority (PA) reflects on the SPED and where Malta's development goes from here

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