Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1414163
13 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 SEPTEMBER 2021 for ODZ development, stating that ODZ development can on- ly take place if this is not "fea- sible" within the development zone, after first considering al- ready developed sites or vacant sites in the development zone. The term feasibility is not even legally defined. Back in 2017 the Democrat- ic Party had tabled a private member's bill proposing the substitution of the word "fea- sibility" with "sustainability", which is legally defined to in- clude environmental and social sustainability. In this way any ODZ development proposed would have to match a set of criteria to assess whether it is sustainable or not. But the bill was never discussed by parlia- ment. The rural policy, which is currently being revised by gov- ernment, regulates agricultural structures but includes a loop- hole which permits the trans- formation of countryside ruins, including piles of rubble, into villas if proof of past residence is provided. The policy also permitted 'ag- ricultural stores' on very small landholdings, raising suspicion that these are being used for recreational rather than agri- cultural purposes. The PN says that its motiva- tion in proposing a new rural plan is to address people's con- cern on the rapid construction activity that Malta has seen over the last few years, which have seen the Labour govern- ment taking over the Planning Authority "as happened with most institutions over the past few years". "The public is fast losing countryside to enjoy, agricul- tural land to provide food secu- rity, and natural beauty that is also a cornerstone for our tour- ism industry. The 'concretiza- tion' of our rural areas is also causing increased flooding and loss of biodiversity. With all of this in mind, decisions need to be taken, and PN is not afraid of taking such decisions. We need to fight back." PN non-committal on local plan changes But while hinting at strict- er planning regulations across the board to address Labour's glaring shortcomings, the PN shied away from any clear com- mitment on revising the local plan approved in 2006 and con- troversial planning policies ap- proved by the Labour govern- ment in the past years, which have not only encroached on the countryside but are trans- forming Malta's urban areas in to a veritable concrete jungle. Specifically, the PN did not re- ply when asked whether it will commit itself not to include any ODZ land inside the develop- ment zone in any changes made to local plans if it is elected to power, and whether it is com- mitted to ensure a two-thirds majority for any changes in de- velopment boundaries. MaltaToday also asked the PN whether it will retain the 2006 local plans or whether it will amend or replace these plans; and whether it will change pol- icies approved by the Labour government, including the ru- ral policy regulating develop- ment in the ODZ, the Devel- opment Control Design Policy approved in 2015, the policy regulating outside catering es- tablishments approved in 2015, and the Floor Area Ratio policy regulating high rise and medi- um rise development approved in 2015. In its reply the PN simply disputed claims by the Labour Party that the increase in con- struction is largely due to the 2006 decision to extend the de- velopment boundaries, which it says "were essential at the time". And while saying that it was the 2015 policies ushered through by a Labour govern- ment without any parliamen- tary approval that led to a huge rise of apartments being built, it is making no clear commitment to withdraw these development guidelines, limiting itself to say- ing that these policies were in- troduced "without proper plan- ning, so there have been several consequences such as loss of parking and added pressure on our electricity distribution net- works." As reported by MaltaTo- day over the past years, the 2015 guidelines contributed to overdevelopment by making it more lucrative for developers to knock down existing build- ings, by allowing developers to fit more floors than envisaged in the local plans. This was craftily done by translating height limitations limiting the number of floors found in the local plan into metric height and by lowering the legal height of each floor. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt JAMES DEBONO THE Planning Authority is being non-committal as to whether it will reintroduce physical partic- ipation in its Planning Board meetings, where decisions on major projects impacting on local communities are taken. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, PA planning board meetings determining con- troversial applications like that on the DB pro- ject in Pembroke, have been held online, with board members, developers, architects and the general public participating from the comfort of their homes or offices. Asked whether in view of the lifting of COV- ID restrictions, public meetings would be rein- troduced, a PA spokesperson replied that the Authority has "received very positive feedback from all stakeholders with the way the meet- ings that are held in public are carried out fol- lowing the COVID outbreak". But the PA "does not exclude introducing a hybrid system (allowing both on-line and phys- ical participation) in the future." Over the past months, the public health au- thorities have lifted restrictions on public events, include political rallies as long as social distancing rules are respected. But while the PA claims that it has received "positive feedback" from stakeholders on the way meetings are being held, Moviment Graf- fitti, a stakeholder and regular participant in these meetings, is insisting on the reintroduc- tion of physical participation in public meet- ings. "Online meetings are no adequate substi- tute to physical meetings. Besides being often marred by technical glitches, and also not being accessible to everyone, online meetings widen the distance between the Board members tak- ing very important decision that directly im- pact people's lives, and the people impacted by such decisions," activist Andre Callus told MaltaToday. Callus also said online participation reduces the effectiveness of community participation, where groups of residents and activists of- ten organise themselves to participate in such meetings collectively, something that is much less impactful when people are all alone behind a computer. While describing PA board and commission meetings as "a façade for planning decisions taken elsewhere" – as confirmed by develop- er Joseph Portelli in an interview last Sunday, where he said that he decides on whether to press ahead with projects after meeting min- isters – public participation in these meetings still empowers communities. "Community participation during PA board and commission meetings bring to the fore the anger of the people at the greed of the few that is ruining their quality of life, and board members are forced to face this anger directly, making them often feel awkward and uncom- fortable," Callus said. Graffitti has also come up with a concrete proposal on how the meetings should be held in the future. "One should consider introducing a system whereby members of the public have both op- tions: to attend in-person or online. However, board and commission members should be physically present at such meetings." jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Graffitti wants the reintroduction of physical participation in PA board meetings, warning that online meetings screens board members from facing the anger of local communities against the greed of the few who are ruining their lives Hiding behind a screen? PA evasive on return of physical meetings