Press Conference Turned Protest: Dozens Gather Urging For Withdrawal Of Planning Reform
Dozens showed up to a press conference outside of parliament urging the government to withdraw two planning reform bills presented last week.
Organised by Moviment Graffitti, representatives from The Ramblers’ Association, the Gozo Coalition of NGOs for the environment, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) and a host of other organisations attended and warned that these reforms will give developers unprecedented power.
“While Prime Minister Robert Abela is attempting to present these Bills as the long-promised and much-needed reform of the appeals system, in truth, these amendments go far beyond the appeals framework and will effectively dismantle existing safeguards in the planning legislative framework,” Moviment Graffitti wrote in a statement released following the action.
Among the proposed reforms, many of which deemed controversial, the government plans to suspend development permits once a formal appeal is submitted. Currently, construction can proceed even while a permit is under appeal. The reforms also propose increasing the maximum daily fines from €50 to €2,000.However, the organisations warned that the other amendments would restrict the public’s right to appeal, strip the courts of their ability to revoke permits, give the Planning Authority and the Planning Minister unchecked discretion over decisions, and eliminate the requirement for policies to align with Local Plans.
The main concern among environmental NGOs is that these proposals may dismantle the existing legal structure at the benefit of developers.The statement was signed by Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust – FEE Malta, Ramblers Association and Wirt Għawdex.
What do you make of the NGOs’ statement?
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