‘The Reign Of The Developers’: Moviment Graffitti Activist Slams Stalling Of Planning Appeals Reform
Moviment Graffitti activist Andre Callus slammed the government for not yet reforming the law related to planning appeals as was promised in 2023.
“This is the dictatorship that is here in our country – the reign of the developers,” Callus wrote on social media.
Callus cited an article written by the Times of Malta regarding the movement of this reform, with the Planning Ministry stating that discussions with stakeholders are still ongoing.
In 2023, cabinet approved a reform to the planning appeals process that would stop works until an appeal is decided. The public consultation process concluded in November of that year but an agreement with stakeholders is still pending.
Currently, if the PA-approved development is contested and undergoing an appeal being heard by a court or a tribunal, developers can continue works. Consequently, the court or tribunal may eventually decide that a building is illegal once it’s already been built.
Works could be suspended if the contester requests it and the review tribunal agrees.
“Two years ago, Prime Minister Robert Abela promised to reform the planning appeals law. Nothing out of this world, to be clear. A basic and obvious reform that changes the absurd current situation where developers can build while an appeal is in progress,” Callus said.
As a result, appeals are almost useless because if a permit is revoked, a building can still be completed, he continued.
“We’ve seen this happen in many cases. Entire buildings become illegal after the permit is revoked by the courts and the government does nothing to remove them. Clear cases of justice being denied to the people, all to please the same small group of people.”
In March 2024, the court revoked Joseph Portelli’s permit to build two major pools outside Qala’s development zone. Construction for this development had already begun and in August, Portelli together with fellow development magnate Mark Agius applied to sanction them.
Callus went on to say that even this promise for a reform that offers “basic decency” has not been kept.
After reading the Times of Malta article, he said, the reason for this delay in reformation became clear: because developers don’t want this reforms.
“Obviously, they prefer to leave this law in place, where the biased decisions of the Planning Authority — an authority over which they have absolute control — dominate every other decision. This is the dictatorship that exists in our country — the reign of the developers.”
“A Prime Minister and government in the pocket of those with deep pockets. The common citizen is worth nothing.”
Do you think it’s time for the reform to be implemented?