PM seeks 'magical balance'

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday launched his plans for Mepa reform, which includes a more direct role for the government in policy making and full-time members on the development control boards.

The reform also envisages the creation of a planning ombudsman to replace the function of the Mepa auditor.

Dr Gonzi said the reform tried to find the "magical balance" between the interests of developers, environmentalists, residents and the community at large.

The reform would see Mepa downsizing its functions to focus on its core business of implementing planning and environmental policy and processing development applications.

Policy making would fall directly within the remit of a new policy unit that would be set up in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Fulfilling an electoral pledge that had weighed heavily on the outcome of last year's election, the blueprint for Mepa's reform was published in a 38-page booklet.

The number of Development Control Commissions, where most permits are decided, will be brought down to two and their members would be full-timers in Mepa's employ.

The appeals board would also be staffed by full-timers and, in sensitive cases, it could even stop a development pending a third party appeal.

The Development Planning Act and the Environment Planning Act would be fused into one single law.

A new voluntary pre-application screening process was being proposed.

The Labour Party (PL) said the reform was "not courageous enough" in addressing the people's concerns. Labour spokesman Roderick Galdes said the reform did not put much emphasis on transparency and accountability. He said the issue of conflict of interest of DCC board members was not addressed.

He welcomed the strengthening of the enforcement unit and the appointment of a member from civil society on the Mepa board even though it still had to be established how this member would be chosen by the government.