Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462122
19 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 MARCH 2022 NEWS ANDY DEPUTAT PARLAMENTARI U KANDIDAT LABURISTA FUQ L-1 U T-3 DISTRETT FLIMKIEN GĦAL PAJJIŻ AKTAR B'SAĦĦTU www.andyellul.com | andy@andyellul.com C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Half Page Ad.pdf 1 18/03/2022 16:31 Labour Party • Flagship €700 milion investment over seven years in green open spaces including parks and gardens in a number of localities including Floriana, Hamrun, Marsaskala, Bormla, and Lapsi amongst others. • Introduce buffer zones around Urban Conser- vation Areas to create a transition between village cores and the rest of the urban area. • A skyline policy to create a balance between the need for higher buildings and the identity of towns and villages. • More 'discussions' on stricter regulations for ODZ developments, in full respect of property rights. • A policy on aesthetics of buildings to incentiv- ize respect for traditional characteristics of towns and villages. • A 'timeframe' for completion of construction projects and licensing for contractors. • Commitment that Hondoq ir-Rummien will not be developed. • Land reclamation is considered as a "necessity in an island where disposable land is very limited" and Labour will ensure a way forward for projects considered "beneficial" to the country, including ones related to re- newable energy. • Government will purchase or swap public land to make existing private gardens accessible to the pub- lic. • A mobile app to be created to guide ramblers to follow routes on public land. • Identification of two picnic and camping areas on land allocated to hunters in Ahrax and Mizieb. • Warehouses and industrial facilities to be al- lowed in disused quarries along with afforestation pro- jects and renewable energy projects. Nationalist Party • 50,000 sq.m of publically owned land presently within development zones will be added to outside de- velopment zones. • Shorter approval time frame for projects on al- ready developed land involving retro fitting of existing buildings and an 80% reduction in planning fees for such projects. • In newly created open spaces 60% of the total area will be zoned for afforestation and garden space, 30% for sports facilities and 10% for small-scale com- mercial services. • Planning ombudsman's recommendations to be always implemented. • Increase the vote of NGO and local council rep- resentatives in planning boards. • Two-thirds majority required to include ODZ land in development zone. • Developers will have to provide alternative ac- commodation to residents in the immediate vicinity of excavation works for a timeframe, which is considered risky, and to deposit an amount of money, which will cover any damage to third parties. • Fines to be imposed on projects, which do not respect completion timeframes. ADPD • New local plans should replace those enacted in 2006. • Lands added in 2006 extension of boundaries, which are still undeveloped, should become ODZ again. • Local councils should be given veto powers on ODZ development as long as these are not approved by parliament. • Parliamentary scrutiny as well as obligation to publish assets for members of planning boards. • Manoel Island should be taken back in public ownership. • Passageways on public land leased to farmers should remain open to the public and a definitive map identifying public pathways should be published.