Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1338076
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 FEBRUARY 2021 COMMERCIAL URBAN planning is a balancing act, and Malta's planners face tough decisions every day. How can the island and its population be protected while promot- ing economic growth and, importantly, seeing Government's vision for national development come to fruition? "The Planning Authority will never stop evolving," begins Perit Vincent Cassar. "The decisions we take regard- ing development applications follow our national policies, but there is no ig- noring the fact that our policies should protect our natural environment and promote sustainability for future gen- erations." Perit Cassar brings to the Planning Board a rich background in architecture and planning. Up until last year, he was Chairperson of the Commonwealth As- sociation of Architects, and back when he was President of Kamra tal-Periti, he was also awarded the Presidential Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for his valuable con- tribution to architecture. "Ruling on development applications is merely one function of the Author- ity, but it is a critical one and relies on the Planning Board as well as three Planning Commissions: one covering 'Outside Development Zone and Urban Conservation Areas', one for 'With- in Development Zone', and finally the Regularisation Commission analyses irregular or illegal buildings for regular- isation," the Chairperson explains. Stakeholder representation on the Planning Board and each Commission is essential. To this end, the Board con- sists of 11 representatives. Five inde- pendent members with no connection to Government but with a background in architecture, the arts, economics, fi- nance or planning. The rest comprise three governmental members, an En- vironment and Resources Authority (ERA) representative, and a delegate from environmental NGOs. "The Planning Board handles major applications of national importance, in- cluding applications listed on Schedule One of the Planning Act and those in Xagħra and Dwejra in Gozo. For Sched- ule One applications, we also invite a local council representative to join the Board," Perit Cassar continues. The Planning Board's rulings hinge on arguments made by the applicant and architect, the Planning Directorate and any objectors. Before the application's hearing, a Planning Directorate case of- ficer generates a Development Planning Application Report (DPAR) to recom- mend the application for approval or rejection. Included are comments from 12 statutory consultees, such as Trans- port Malta, ERA, the Commission for Disabled Persons, and Superintendent of Cultural Heritage. Simultaneously, a notice is pinned to the application's physical site, notifying the community to submit objections within a month. "In the hearing, I invite the architect to explain the project and why the per- mit should be granted. Then, the case officer presents the DPAR, including whether or not the project conforms to PA policies and whether their rec- ommendation is to grant (with a set of conditions) or refuse the permit," dis- closes Perit Cassar. "We then hear from the public and registered objectors. Of course, projects that impact our natu- ral and historic environment, such as high-rises and applications in Valletta, Mdina, the Cottonera area and ODZ, attract many objectors. "The Board Members then discuss and ask for clarifications from the appli- cant/architect and case officer. Before the vote, which is taken in public, I ask every Board Member to indicate his/ her voting preference. If a majority dis- agrees with the Planning Directorate's recommendation, we defer the case for a maximum period of four weeks. However, if a majority agrees with the recommendation, we vote and the ap- plication is either granted or refused. The same occurs at the Planning Com- missions but on a reduced scale. For example, while the applicant, architect and objectors are there, the case officer isn't, and the Commission relies on the DPAR only." Throughout the entire process, trans- parency is essential, and the media at- tend at least 90% of the Board's sittings. "I believe this scrutiny is necessary because the Planning Board gives di- rection to the Planning Commissions," Perit Cassar remarks. "Other deci- sion-makers at the Authority take note of what the Board says and does, so we need to be careful about the precedent we set." Reflecting on his journey with the Planning Board thus far, the Chairper- son shares that lessons have indeed been learnt: "When I was the President of Kamra tal-Periti, I used to have regular meetings with the PA's Chairperson and CEO to discuss concerns. Then, when I was offered Chairmanship, I thought, 'Now we can finally action everything we were aiming for!' But the reality on the ground soon hits, and ultimately one learns that Government sets out its vision for Malta and all Government Agencies including the PA must follow that vision through their policies. "Our policies are created and revised taking into consideration remarks from the public, and we subsequently base our development application decisions on these policies, which the Minister signs off – or even adapts. Hindsight al- ways shows we could have done things better. For instance, several applica- tions were approved by the Board in accordance with the fuel stations policy of the time, not realising that the poli- cy needed to be amended. We've since managed to create a new policy that I am content with. "I'm proud to say that everyone at the PA does their best to be fair and rea- sonable with every application, but with so many moving parts it's not an easy job. Above all, I hope to see the design quality of applications improve. The grandeur and intricacy of Malta's cen- turies-old architecture are so inspiring and rooted within us, so why do we lack design creativity in applications? We have a cultural landscape and heritage that we shouldn't only be protecting; we should be proudly adding to it," he concludes. For more information on Malta's Plan- ning Authority, visit pa.org.mt. From national vision to urban reality Perit Vincent Cassar, Chairperson of the Planning Authority's Planning Board, shares his insight into the inner workings of the Authority's most important decision- making body