A coalition of environmental NGOs is strongly condemning the Government’s latest attempt to reward development illegalities. Through three new legal notices, the Government is proposing a wholesale amnesty, granting full development permit status to illegal developments within the development zone built until 2016, and illegal structures and uses in ODZ built until 1994. Moreover, concessions will be granted for illegalities up to 2024, including in sensitive areas such as ODZ and UCA. This will stop any enforcement against these illegalities, making them de facto legal going forward.
Despite the Prime Minister’s claim that this is intended to help “small-scale contraveners” there is no limit on the size or intensity of the illegal development that may be condoned, and none of the above illegalities will have to conform to existing planning policies. The amnesty also extends to commercial operations, demonstrating that Government is aiding and abetting rampant commercial speculation and becoming complicit in the destruction of agricultural and green land.
To make matters worse, third parties and NGOs will have no right to object or appeal against these amnesty applications. This is a closed and opaque process in which the Planning Authority will decide, behind closed doors, how to continue destroying Malta’s environment, heritage and quality of life, while rewarding those who break the law.
Rarely, if ever, has our country faced such a brazen assault by powerful interests on its environment and quality of life. These legal notices come against the backdrop of two bills, presented in Parliament at the end of July, which would dismantle almost all existing safeguards in the planning sector and limit the public’s ability to challenge illegal decisions.
The organisations state that both the proposed bills and the proposed legal notices should be immediately withdrawn, as they run counter to the fundamental tenets of decency and democracy.
Should the Government attempt to run roughshod over the common good, we commit ourselves – together with other communities around Malta and Gozo – to fighting against this destructive onslaught of legislation designed to hand all power to developers and corrupt authorities.
Organisations
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Il-Kollettiv
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust – FEE Malta
Ramblers Association
The Archaeological Society Malta
Wirt Għawdex
Read the joint press release in Maltese.