Labour’s proposal to extend planning permits beyond their expiry date will not be an open-ended affair, Joseph Muscat said yesterday.
We are committed to see this project come to fruition
The PL leader insisted that extending the current five-year timeframe within which a permit could lapse if a developer does not start construction will come with conditions.
He did not elaborate when asked by The Times about the possibility of this opening up the property market to rampant speculation but said Labour would give details later.
Dr Muscat said it would announce proposals to reform the planning process.
“There will be a process to obtain the extension and this will also be linked to the local plans. Extensions will not be ad eternum,” he said.
Dr Muscat put forward the proposal on Monday when interviewed at a party activity.
He justified it by saying there were situations where developers, who had taken years to obtain a permit, had difficulty developing the site within the stipulated time frame.
“The options they have are either to lose the permit after five years and re-apply at a later stage with all the costs involved or else start to commit the site within the five years in unfavourable economic conditions,” he said.
Dr Muscat was answering questions after visiting the offices of software company Ascent in Luqa where he heard company bosses say they were not finding enough people to employ in the ICT sector.
He acknowledged the big advances in the sector achieved by the Nationalist Administration, adding a Labour government was committed to ensure the sector’s growth.
In a brief question-and-answer session with employees, Dr Muscat said incentives will be launched to encourage private companies introduce family-friendly measures.
The Labour leader was also asked about his party’s plans for Smart City.
“It is not an excuse for us to say there are not enough people to fill the vacancies that would have been created. We are committed to see this project come to fruition through more collaboration between the Government and the private sector,” Dr Muscat said.
In a light moment, an employee asked Dr Muscat if he found time for is family.
The Labour leader, who turned 39 yesterday, said his young daughters woke him up earlier than usual to sing happy birthday.
“I try to manage my time well but the difficulties are the same every parent faces. I prepare my daughters for school in the morning, when I catch up with what they are doing.
“In this campaign I have also tried to keep Saturday mornings off to dedicate time to my children,” he said.