A document setting out the objectives of a Strategic Plan for Environment and Development, to replace the 20-year-old Structure Plan, was unveiled for public consultation today.

The Minister for Tourism and the Environment, Mario de Marco said the plan focused more on redevelopment of already used land, and the de-coupling of development and economic growth.

The plan, he said, would consider environmental and social challenges which the Maltese islands faced. The challenges, he said, were higher for Malta than in other countries because of Malta's small size and population density.

Furthermore, Malta's ageing population would bring with it new health and housing needs.

He stressed that economic growth did not require further physical development of Malta's land and should not come at a cost to the environment.

The plan will look at rural, urban and coastal development, with Gozo considered separately.

Among its objectives are a diversification of transport and less dependence on cars, increasing recreational and green space, the identification of pollution hot spots so that they can be minimised, controlling development within historic cores and encouraging development away from flood-prone areas.

Dr de Marco stressed that the current development zones would not be touched.

The plan will be open for public consultation for the next six weeks, after which the final version will be drafted by Mepa technical experts for presentation to Parliament in order to become law, hopefully by the end of this year.

The draft plan can be viewed on the websites of the ministry and Mepa.