Muscat’s Planning Bills Analysis: Good Overall But Poor PR
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that while the proposed planning bills are positive overall, the government’s PR campaign left a great deal to be desired.
Muscat gave his take on several proposed reforms in the bill.
He argued that the proposal for new planning policies to override the local plans is a positive development as it will ensure legal clarity in cases where new policies clash with the local plans.
“A few years ago, the SPED – practically a new structural plan – was approved, and it is obvious that, in cases of a conflict, the more recent plans should triumph,” he said.
He also defended the €5,000 fines envisaged for frivolous appeals, up from the current €2,500, arguing that appeals should be based on serious grounds.
And with regards to the proposal for the PA and Planning Minister to be allowed to ignore the existing local plans policies, Muscat said that the PA’s executive council will consider applications for changes in cases where 75% or more of the landowners agree. However, these will still have to be discussed at Parliament’s planning committee.
Muscat had one point of criticism with the proposed bills – the proposal that would empower ministers to renew expired permits.
“NGOs are right here and there is no need to introduce this power,” he said. “This procedure was used as an exception during the pandemic and if there are similar circumstances in the future, it can be done again without a change in the law.”
Muscat said that while the planning bills are positive overall, the government made a mess of its PR around them.
“Unfortunately, the government made a media mess with its decision to publish the law on Friday without any explanation,” he said. “By the time it started talking about it on Monday, the narrative had already taken hold and now the government is on the back foot to try and convince genuine people that the reform is positive at its core.”
READ NEXT: Watch: Proposed Amendment Would Require Patient Consent Before Doctors Report Abortions
