'More power to the people' on planned construction

The man in the street will have more means of knowing about and filing objections to planned construction projects under a set of proposed regulations to be moved in Parliament.

Environment Minister George Pullicino yesterday gave details of the Bill, to be published today, at a press conference in the presence of representatives of several NGOs.

He said developers would be compelled to inform residents in the vicinity about their projects by sending them registered letters. This would ensure they have the opportunity to file an objection if they wanted to.

In addition, notices for building outside development zones would have to be placed on billboards along main roads near the site, so that the public would be informed about such applications.

Though notices of applications have to be affixed on site, they are often removed soon after being put up with the result that people next door remain unaware of the proposed development, Mr Pullicino said.

The time limit for filing an objection has been increased to 20 working days and anyone can now object as long as it is within the stipulated period.

In addition, all permits for areas outside development zone, in urban conservation areas or for re-development of scheduled buildings will be put on hold for a month to allow interested parties to file objections.

The Appeals Board will have six days in which to meet and decide whether the objection is a valid one or not.

If deemed valid, the permit will remain suspended for another three months until the issues involved are addressed. If on the other hand the objection is turned down, the developer could start carrying out the work.

The government, said the minister, wanted to give the man in the street the chance to intervene in time rather than try and stop works that have already started.

Another change being proposed is that one of the independent members on Mepa's board would have to be knowledgeable about cultural heritage.

Mr Pullicino said the Mepa website, which was described by British urban planner Sir Peter Hall as being "a model website to be emulated", would carry the project description statement of each major project.

Recent changes in the law had made it possible for people to have access not just to Environment Impact Assessments but also to the plans of proposed projects from the comfort of one's home, Mr Pullicino said. Astrid Vella, of Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, described the changes as "the main reason" why her pressure group had been formed.

"One can always hope for the better but these changes are really positive," she said.

Both Nature Trust president Vince Attard and Gaia Foundation director Rudolph Ragonesi said their organisations have been lobbying for these regulations for very long as they really gave "power to the people". Asked about the fact that the regulations would only come into effect after being discussed by Parliament - and Parliament is about to be dissolved - Mr Pullicino said:

"We could have said we agreed with them and left them pending until after the election. I am tabling them in Parliament so that they will be on the agenda and will have to be discussed.

"This is our plan and this is what we will be doing. By presenting them in Parliament we are binding ourselves on the way forward."