Today, a number of organisations — including environmental groups, heritage protection organisations, and residents’ associations — gathered in front of Castille for a press conference calling for real reform in planning. The Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign, which began last year in response to Bills 143 and 144 and the three Legal Notices presented by the Government, is now intensifying its call: immediately withdraw the bills that threaten the future of our country, and instead give the people the planning reform they truly need.
The organisations recalled how the Government’s attempt to introduce Bills 143 and 144 and the three Legal Notices — which, if brought into force, would effectively dismantle almost all existing safeguards within the planning system and lead to the regularisation of all kinds of illegalities — was temporarily halted after the public responded to the call for action against the Government’s dangerous manoeuvre.
At a time when our country is increasingly threatened by unchecked development, what Malta needs is planning reform that genuinely safeguards our quality of life and the future of our children on these islands — not more control and power in the hands of developers.
Therefore, while reiterating the call for this legislative package to be withdrawn immediately, the organisations presented key points for a planning reform that can genuinely bring about positive change. These organisations, which have for years insisted on radical changes in the planning and development sector, put forward four main proposals that should form the basis of a genuine planning reform, addressing four areas: planning appeals, enforcement, sanctioning in ODZ (Outside Development Zone), and the reclassification of land as ODZ.
They emphasised that these points are not exhaustive, as they do not address many of the flawed policies within the planning system, but serve as general principles that should be included in any reform aimed at serving the common good.
The Ġustizzja għal Artna: Ir-Riformi li Neħtieġu campaign is presenting the following four proposals:
Suspend Works During Appeals: At present, an anomaly in appeals law allows construction works to begin even while an appeal is ongoing. This has led to the absurd situation where entire buildings are completed, only for the Court to later declare them illegal. The demand is clear: all works must be suspended while an appeal is pending before the EPRT and the Courts. Clear and reasonable time limits must also be established for the conclusion of appeals.
Remove Illegalities: Rules must be enacted to ensure that illegal developments are physically removed, with clear timeframes for resolving enforcement appeals and with third parties allowed to participate in the process. Once a development is confirmed to be illegal, the Planning Authority must enforce its removal, either directly or by the party responsible for the illegality, at their own expense. All fines must be paid, and a one-stop shop for enforcement against illegalities should be established.
Prohibit Sanctioning in ODZ: The sanctioning of illegal structures in ODZ that were constructed after 2008, and that cannot be approved as minor amendments, should be prohibited.
Reclassify Land as ODZ: All areas of agricultural, natural, social, and historical value that were removed from the ODZ in 2006, and which have not yet been legally committed to development through approved applications, should be reclassified as ODZ and protected from construction.
The organisations called on the Government to listen to the voice of the people and to begin a consultation process for a fair and genuine planning reform.
More information about the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign can be found at: https://gustizzjartna.org/en/proposals
Organisations:
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust
Ramblers’ Association of Malta
Wirt Għawdex
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Ġustizzja għal Artna: għaqdiet jiltaqgħu quddiem Kastilja bl-għajta għal riforma ġenwina fl-ippjanar
Illum, għadd ta’ għaqdiet, fosthom għaqdiet ambjentali, għall-ħarsien tal-wirt storiku, u tar-residenti, iltaqgħu quddiem Kastilja għal konferenza stampa bl-għajta għal riforma ta’ vera fl-ippjanar. Il-kampanja Ġustizzja għal Artna, li bdiet is-sena l-oħra bħala reazzjoni għal-Abbozzi 143 u 144 u t-tliet Avviżi Legali mressqa mill-Gvern, issa qed tkompli b’talba aktar b’saħħitha: irtiraw minnufih l-abbozzi tal-liġijiet li qed jheddu l-futur ta’ pajjiżna, u tuna r-riformi fl-ippjanar li verament neħtieġu.
L-għaqdiet fakkru kif l-attentat tal-Gvern li jdaħħal l-Abbozzi 143 u 144 u t-tliet Avviżi Legali – li jekk verament jidħlu fis-seħħ, se jkunu effettivament qed iżarmaw kważi s-salvagwardji kollha eżistenti fis-sistema tal-ippjanar u jwasslu għar-regolarizzazzjoni ta’ kull xorta ta’ illegalità – ġie temporanjament mwaqqaf wara li l-poplu wieġeb għas-sejħa ta’ azzjoni kontra l-manuvra perikoluża tal-Gvern.
Fi żmien fejn pajjiżna jinsab dejjem aktar mhedded mill-iżvilupp bla rażan, dak li għandu bżonn pajjiżna huwa riforma fl-ippjanar li verament tħares il-kwalità ta’ ħajjitna u l-futur ta’ wliedna fuq dawn il-gżejjer – u mhux aktar kontroll u setgħa f’idejn l-iżviluppaturi.
Għalhekk, filwaqt li tennew l-għajta biex dan il-pakkett leġiżlattiv jiġi rtirat minnufih, l-għaqdiet ippreżentaw punti għal riforma fl-ippjanar li tista’ verament twassal għal bidla pożittiva. L-għaqdiet, li ilhom snin sħaħ jisħqu għal bidliet radikali fil-qasam tal-ippjanar u l-iżvilupp, ippreżentaw erba’ proposti ewlenin li għandhom jiffurmaw il-bażi ta’ riforma ġenwina tal-ippjanar, u li jindirizzaw erba’ oqsma: l-appelli fl-ippjanar, l-infurzar, is-sanzjonar fl-ODZ, u l-klassifikazzjoni mill-ġdid ta’ art bħala ODZ.
Saħqu li dawn il-punti mhumiex eżawrjenti għax ma jindirizzawx ħafna mill-politiki difettużi fis-sistema tal-ippjanar, iżda jservu ta’ prinċipji ġenerali li għandhom jiġu inklużi fi kwalunkwe riforma li għandha l-għan li taqdi l-ġid komuni.
Il-kampanja Ġustizzja għal Artna: Ir-Riformi li Neħtieġu qed tressaq dawn l-erba’ proposti:
Is-Sospensjoni tax-Xogħlijiet Matul l-Appelli: Attwalment, l-anomalija fil-liġi tal-appelli tippermetti li x-xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni jista’ jibda anke meta jkun hemm appell għaddej. Dan qed iwassal għas-sitwazzjoni assurda fejn binjiet sħaħ jilħqu jinbnew biex wara l-Qorti tiddikjarahom bħala illegali. It-talba hija ċara: ix-xogħlijiet kollha għandhom jiġu sospiżi waqt li jkun hemm appell pendenti quddiem l-EPRT u l-Qrati. Għandhom ukoll jiġu stabbiliti limiti ta’ żmien ċari u raġonevoli biex jiġi konkluż l-appell.
It-Tneħħija tal-Illegalitajiet: Għandhom jiddaħħlu fis-seħħ regoli sabiex l-iżviluppi illegali jiġu mneħħija fiżikament, b’limiti ta’ żmien ċari għar-riżoluzzjoni ta’ appelli tal-infurzar, bil-partijiet terzi jkunu permessi jipparteċipaw fil-proċess. Ladarba l-iżvilupp jiġi kkonfermat bħala illegali, il-PA trid tinforza li dan jitneħħa, jew minnha stess jew minn min wettaq l-illegalità, bi spejjeż tiegħu stess. Il-multi kollha għandhom jitħallsu, u għandu jiġi stabbilit one-stop shop għall-infurzar kontra l-illegalitajiet.
Projbizzjoni tas-Sanzjonar fl-ODZ: Is-sanzjonar ta’ strutturi illegali fl-ODZ li nbnew wara l-2008, u li ma jistgħux jiġu approvati bħala emendi minuri, għandu jiġi pprojbit.
Il-Klassifikazzjoni mill-Ġdid ta’ Art bħala ODZ: Iż-żoni kollha ta’ valur agrikolu, naturali, soċjali u storiku li tneħħew mill-ODZ fl-2006, u li għadhom ma ġewx legalment kommessi għall-iżvilupp permezz ta’ applikazzjonijiet approvati, għandhom jiġu kklassifikati mill-ġdid bħala ODZ u protetti mill-iżvilupp.
L-għaqdiet appellaw lill-Gvern biex jisma’ l-għajta tal-poplu u jibda proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni għal riforma fl-ippjanar ġusta u ġenwina.
Aktar informazzjoni dwar il-kampanja Ġustizzja għal Artna tista’ tinstab fuq is-sit https://gustizzjartna.org/mt/proposti
Għaqdiet:
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust
Ramblers’ Association of Malta
Wirt Għawdex
