The smallness of the islands, the high population density and the transition experienced in the last decades from a predominantly agrarian society to industrialised and urban communities have led to significant change in land use patterns.
The expansion of urban settlements and new built-up areas up until the designation of the temporary provisions schemes in 1988 has led to the coalescence of towns and villages.
This has had an adverse impact on the distinct characteristics of rural areas and resulted in a reduction of open countryside and damage to natural habitats.
Other significant threats come from dumping, indiscriminate blocking of access, and fragmentation resulting from urban development, roads, obnoxious industries and agriculture malpractices.
The thematic issues and the Maltese spatial structure identified five thematic objectives that cover the rural area:
Objective 17: To facilitate sustainable rural development and the diversification of activities within the rural area to sustain agriculture.
Objective 18: To ensure that existing rural recreational resources are protected, enhanced and accessible and to facilitate the provision of new recreational facilities which enhance the public’s rural experience in a manner which does not have an unacceptable adverse impact on protected areas, species and areas of high landscape sensitivity.
Objective 19: To guide development which is either justified to be located in the rural area in approved government policies, plans or programmes, or is incompatible with urban uses and where alternatives are not possible, to the rural area away from protected areas and areas with a high landscape sensitivity, preferably on previously developed land or existing buildings and ensuring the improvement of the quality of the rural environment.
Objective 20: To protect and enhance the positive qualities of the landscape and the traditional components of the rural landscape.
Objective 21: To rehabilitate, upgrade and regenerate deteriorating natural environments on the basis of their type and location.
Mepa is currently carrying out a public consultation exercise on government’s strategic objectives for the preparation of the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED).
The document can be accessed online from: www.mepa.org.mt/public-consultation.