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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 JANUARY 2015 8 Malta in 2015 JAMES DEBONO takes a look at the major planning decisions the government is expected to take this year ENVIRONMENTALISTS can expect a busy year as the govern- ment approves a new law regulat- ing planning and environmental protection, new local plans with the possibility of new development boundaries, a fast-track planning procedure for developments with- in development zones and to take decisions on land reclamation, the Gozo airstrip and the White Rocks development. New local plans, new boundaries? The 2006 local plans approved by former Minister George Pullicino paved the way for an onslaught of development, which has altered the townscapes of towns and villages. It was also accompanied by an exten- sion of ODZ boundaries whose im- pact is still being felt. Nine years later the new govern- ment is expected to issue new local plans for public consultation. The present seven local plans are ex- pected to be replaced by just three generic plans. The 1992 Structure Plan had en- visaged the preparation of 24 Local Plans as well as Plans covering Ru- ral Conservation Areas. Instead the previous government had opted for seven local plans covering six re- gions and one locality. By their very nature Local Plans are intended to cover a small area and consequently to address the potential develop- ment in such areas through appro- priate policies, which may need to be, and generally are specific to the area. The decision to streamline policies in just 3 plans is in itself an indication of the government's in- sensitiveness to local realities. The approval of the new local plans could also bring about new development boundaries. Junior planning minister Michael Falzon refuses to rule out an extension of boundaries, insisting that even from "an aesthetic point of view it would make sense to include lands which were left out unfairly" in the 2006 extension of boundaries. Any such extension would be in breach of a promise made by Joseph Muscat before the general election not to touch development boundaries. A SPED instead of a structure plan A draft Strategic Plan for the Envi- ronment and Development (SPED), which lacks any specific policies but is composed entirely of guide- lines was presented in March 2014 and is set to be approved this year. This will replace the Structure Plan approved in 1992, which includes stringent policies including some which were never implemented, such as the one calling for the pub- lic ownership of the coastline. Instead the draft SPED includes specific proposals for tourism de- velopment on "previously devel- oped land in Comino". This in itself could pave the way for an extension of the Comino ho- tel owned by the Tumas, Gasan and Mizzi groups. The document, which will serve as the general guide for planning deci- sions, foresees the development of an airstrip, a cruise liner terminal and a yacht marina in Gozo. No such proposals were made in a similar document issued by the previous government in February 2012, which also included a com- mitment that "the government shall not amend the development boundaries approved in 2006". Instead, the new document pro- poses an appraisal of the 2006 de- velopment zone boundaries, to make way for minor adjustments. These adjustments may include the addition of new parcels of land to the development zone and the exclusion of other parcels from the development zone. The SPED also makes a direct ref- erence to the need of providing a framework for the "spatial planning of land reclamation" and to agri- tourism in the countryside. The whole document will be sub- mitted to a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) before approval and will be approved by parliament before the formulation of the new local plans. In part, the issue of the revised SPED document for public con- sultation before the approval of a number of planning policies and the choice of bidders for the land reclamation project addresses the criticism made by environmental- ists that the government should first formulate its vision before changing specific policies. But the inclusion of a number of controversial projects in the most important planning policy of all, could well ensure a fast-track ap- proval of these projects in the fu- ture. Re-exhuming the Gozo airstrip During a pre-electoral visit to Gozo on 16 February before the election, Muscat declared that an airstrip was not a priority for the PL, but that a helicopter service, along with a fast ferry service be- tween Mgarr and Valletta, would be considered. Stopping the application for the Gozo airstrip was one of Alfred Sant's first decisions as prime min- ister in 1996, after withdrawing the country from NATO's Partnership for Peace programme and freezing EU membership. After being dropped by Alfred Sant, the project was abandoned by Eddie Fenech Adami in 1998. While not excluding the project complete- ly, former tourism and environment minister Mario de Marco raised doubts on its sustainability. "One also needs to consider whether an airstrip in Gozo and enhanced accessibility can actually impact negatively the perception of the island that lures tourists to it," de Marco told MaltaToday in 2010. The writing was already on the wall when in February 2010 Rod- erick Galdes – then shadow min- ister for planning – had already announced that the development of an airstrip is one of the options a Labour government would con- sider to ensure better connectivity between Malta and Gozo. But following criticism, subse- quently the party backtracked on its plans after environmental NGOs and Labour MP Justyne Caruana reiterated their opposition to the proposal. One major obstacle to the project is the presence of archaeologi- cal remains in the vicinity of Ta' Lambert, the site identified for the project since the mid-90s. These remains have been compromised by illegal dumping. According to a study by the Museums Department, in the mid-90s, an archaeological assessment of the land earmarked for the airstrip proved "virtually im- possible". The government has recently pre- sented an application for EU fund- ing for the airstrip and has commit- ted itself in the budget in favour of the project. White rocks or elephants? Economy Minister Chris Car- dona has tied his political future to the success of a call for expres- sions of interest for the redevelop- ment of the White Rocks area into a luxury real estate project. Devel- 2015: The birth of Labour's Environment in the hands of these men: from left, environment and sustainable development minister Leo Brincat, planning parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon, MEPA chairman Vince Cassar, and MEPA chief executive officer Johann Buttigieg