The Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign welcomes the public consultation document issued by the Planning Ministry, paving the way for the much-needed reform of the planning appeals system.

Currently, works may begin based on permits issued by the PA, even while they are being challenged before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) and the Courts. This has led to many situations where, by the time a permit is struck down or amended by the Court, the project would have already been completed or almost completed, such as the massive Halland building in Swieqi and Portelli’s ODZ pools in Qala. This denies appellants their rights and allows developers to profit from buildings based on permits that were issued in breach of planning laws and policies.

Contrary to the convoluted and malicious planning reform Bills issued last year, the draft legal provisions outlined in the public consultation document are clear and do exactly what they seek to do: suspend works for the duration of an appeal and foster a more efficient appeals process for all parties involved.

The Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign has long been calling for this reform, having witnessed how individuals and communities are being denied justice, even after carrying the burden of challenging unlawful PA decisions. We now hope that this long-awaited reform will be enacted as soon as possible, and that no last-minute changes will be introduced to appease powerful interests working behind the scenes.

We also remind Government that guaranteeing the suspension of works during the appeals process is the very bare minimum required to begin introducing a modicum of fairness in our planning regime. Our country still awaits many other important reforms for planning justice, including addressing the abysmal state of enforcement and sanctioning of illegalities, revising the many planning policies that were designed to satisfy developers’ greed, and creating independent authorities and boards that are not subservient to developers, among others.

While awaiting the implementation of the planning appeals reform, we also look forward to engaging with Government on the wider planning reforms that our country urgently needs.

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 Malta
Ramblers’ Association of Malta
Wirt Għawdex

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Ġustizzja għal Artna tilqa’ r-riforma mistennija fl-appelli tal-ippjanar

Il-kampanja “Ġustizzja għal Artna” tilqa’ d-dokument ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika maħruġ mill-Ministeru tal-Ippjanar, li qed iwitti t-triq għar-riforma tant meħtieġa fis-sistema tal-appelli tal-ippjanar.

Bħalissa, ix-xogħlijiet jistgħu jibdew abbażi ta’ permessi maħruġa mill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar (PA), anke waqt li jkunu qed jiġu kkontestati quddiem it-Tribunal ta’ Reviżjoni għall-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar (EPRT) u l-Qrati. Dan wassal għal ħafna sitwazzjonijiet fejn fiż-żmien li permess jiġi annullat jew emendat mill-Qorti, il-proġett ikun diġà tlesta jew kważi tlesta, bħall-bini massiċċ tal-Halland fis-Swieqi u l-pixxini fuq l-ODZ ta’ Portelli fil-Qala. Dan iħassar id-drittijiet tal-appellanti u jippermetti li l-iżviluppaturi jagħmlu profitti kbar minn bini li l-permess tiegħu jkun inħareġ bi ksur tal-liġijiet u l-politiki tal-ippjanar.

Kuntrarju għall-Abbozzi ta’ Liġijiet ambigwi u qarrieqa dwar ir-riforma tal-ippjanar li nħarġu s-sena l-oħra, id-dispożizzjonijiet legali abbozzati deskritti fid-dokument ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika huma ċari u jagħmlu eżattament dak li hemm bżonn: jissospendu x-xogħlijiet sakemm ikun għaddej appell u jippermettu proċess ta’ appell aktar effiċjenti għall-partijiet kollha involuti.

Il-kampanja “Ġustizzja għal Artna” ilha żmien twil issejjaħ għal din ir-riforma, wara li rat kif individwi u komunitajiet qed jiġu mċaħħda mill-ġustizzja, anke wara li jkunu ġarrew il-piż li jikkontestaw deċiżjonijiet illegali tal-PA. Issa nittamaw li din ir-riforma mistennija titwettaq kemm jista’ jkun malajr, u li ma jiġu introdotti l-ebda tibdiliet fl-aħħar minuta biex jaġevolaw interessi b’saħħithom li jaħdmu wara l-kwinti.

Aħna nfakkru wkoll lill-Gvern li l-garanzija tas-sospensjoni tax-xogħlijiet matul il-proċess tal-appell hija l-minumu meħtieġ biex tiddaħħal ftit ġustizzja fis-sistema tal-ippjanar tagħna. Pajjiżna għadu qed jistenna ħafna riformi importanti oħra sabiex verament ikun hemm ġustizzja fl-ippjanar, inkluż li tiġi indirizzata s-sitwazzjoni diżastruża tal-infurzar u s-sanzjonar tal-illegalitajiet, ir-reviżjoni tal-ħafna politiki tal-ippjanar li kienu mfassla biex jissodisfaw ir-regħba tal-iżviluppaturi, u l-ħolqien ta’ awtoritajiet u bordijiet indipendenti li mhumiex qaddejja tal-iżviluppaturi, fost oħrajn.

Filwaqt li nistennew l-implimentazzjoni tar-riforma fl-appelli tal-ippjanar, inħarsu wkoll ’il quddiem biex nidħlu f’diskussjoni mal-Gvern dwar ir-riformi usa’ tal-ippjanar li pajjiżna għandu bżonn b’mod urġenti.

Organizzazzjonijiet
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers’ Association of Malta
Wirt Għawdex