Moviment Graffitti is shocked and outraged by the two Bills presented in Parliament today: one amending the Development Planning Act and the other establishing the Environment Planning and Review Tribunal (see here and here).
These Bills were introduced without any public consultation and without engaging NGOs. They effectively represent a developer’s wish list, dismantling nearly all remaining legal safeguards. Among their many alarming provisions, the Bills would allow the Planning Authority’s Executive Council to alter Local Plans without restrictions; elevate planning policies issued by the Planning Authority above Local Plans; allow the PA Board to deviate from planning polices; and enable the Planning Board to disregard environmental considerations, among numerous other destructive measures.
Most concerningly, the Bills severely restrict the public’s right to appeal planning decisions. Appeals would be limited to legal issues raised during the objection phase, subject to unrealistic deadlines for submission, and handled through an inaccessible process. Moreover, the Tribunal would be granted excessive discretionary powers, including the ability to alter plans mid-process.
Astonishingly, the Bills would also remove the courts’ authority to revoke a planning permit.
This represents nothing short of a full-scale takeover by developers – one that will inflict irreversible damage on our country’s planning system and environment.
Moviment Graffitti urges the public to prepare for the fight ahead.
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Abbozzi ta’ liġi ġodda tal-ippjanar ser iwasslu għal diżastru għall-ambjent u d-demokrazija f’Malta
Il-Moviment Graffitti huwa xxukkjat u rrabjat bl-abbozzi ta’ liġi ppreżentati llum fil-Parlament: wieħed li jemenda l-Att dwar l-Ippjanar tal-Iżvilupp, u l-ieħor li jistabbilixxi t-Tribunal ta’ Reviżjoni tal-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar (ara hawn u hawn).
Dawn l-abbozzi ġew introdotti mingħajr ebda konsultazzjoni pubblika u mingħajr ebda involviment tan-NGOs. Essenzjalment jirrappreżentaw lista tax-xewqat tal-iżviluppaturi, u jkissru kważi kull salvagwardja legali li kienet għadha teżisti. Fost il-proposti allarmanti tagħhom, dawn l-abbozzi jippermettu lill-Kunsill Eżekuttiv tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar jibdel il-Pjanijiet Lokali mingħajr limitazzjonijiet; jagħtu prijorità lill-politiki tal-ippjanar maħruġa mill-Awtorità fuq il-Pjanijiet Lokali; iħallu lill-Bord tal-Ippjanar imur kontra l-politiki tal-ippjanar; u jippermettu lill-Bord tal-Ippjanar jinjora konsiderazzjonijiet ambjentali, fost numru ta’ miżuri oħra allarmanti.
Barra minn dan, dawn l-abbozzi jimponu restrizzjonijiet kbar fuq id-dritt tal-pubbliku li jappella kontra deċiżjonijiet fl-ippjanar. L-appelli se jkunu limitati għall-punti legali mqajma waqt il-fażi tal-oġġezzjonijiet, soġġetti għal skadenzi mhux realistiċi biex jiġu sottomessi, u se jagħmlu part minn proċess inaċċessibbli. Barra minn hekk, it-Tribunal se jingħata setgħat diskrezzjonarji enormi, inkluż is-setgħa li jbiddel il-pjanijiet waqt il-proċeduri.
Miżura oħra li ma titwemminx f’dawn l-abbozzi hija dik li se tneħħi s-setgħa tal-qrati li jirrevokaw permessi ta’ żvilupp.
Dan jirrappreżenta xejn inqas minn kolp ta’ stat mill-iżviluppaturi – attakk dirett li se jwassal għal ħsara irreparabbli fis-sistema tal-ippjanar u l-ambjent f’pajjiżna.
Il-Moviment Graffitti jħeġġeġ lill-pubbliku biex jipprepara għall-ġlieda li ġejja.
