Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1316125
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 9 DECEMBER 2020 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 together to create an overarching vision for Malta's develop- ment that would curb urban sprawl. The idea was that all national policies and local plans would then work towards achieving the framework's long-term targets," remarks Perit Joseph Scalpello, Assistant Director in the PA's Policy Di- rectorate. 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. They 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," Perit Scalpello ex- plains. "Regional settlements are large built- up areas detached from the main urban agglomeration. Think of Żurrieq, Rabat, Mellieħa and St Paul's Bay. Then, our small urban areas are villages around each regional settlement. This 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 Assis- tant Director. The stragtegy begins by concentrating growth in developed areas away from rural 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 capac- ity of our urban areas, but interpreting this is contentious," says Perit Scalpello. "Infrastructurally, population growth beyond that which our water, transport or health systems can support would sig- nify overdevelopment. But visually, even if we could accommodate growth, our streetscapes' aesthetics can't be forgot- ten. 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 econom- ic activity that can be environmentally danaging, resulting from large animal farms, greenhouses, pesticides and land reclamation that covers garigue in soil. To defend our natural habitats, we must control agricultural development be- cause the value of land is not only eco- nomic." The SPED advocates for diversification to keep agriculture viable without over- development. The 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 simply a hotel located in the country- side, or does it imply participation in agricultural activities?" questions Perit Scalpello. "The two are often conflated, leading to the relocation of conventional tourism from urban to rural areas. This 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 publicly 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 revi- sion, Perit Scalpello maintains 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 pol- icies and everyday actions because any damage, once inflicted, is practically ir- reversible – and the responsibility lies on all of our shoulders," he concludes. 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 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) ref lects on the SPED and where Malta's development goes from here