Councils will get a vote on the planning board when decisions on big projects in their locality are taken, according to a Labour pledge.

A dedicated parliamentary committee should be able to provide enough scrutiny

Joseph Muscat yesterday said local councils would have a seat on the planning board in cases that involve large projects affecting their community.

“This will empower local councils,” he said, unveiling a series of proposals to reform the planning process.

When asked whether political parties should give up their seat on the planning board, Dr Muscat said he had no problem with this suggestion.

However, he said any such decision would have to be taken by consensus with the Opposition.

“We don’t feel the Government should impose this because the Opposition may interpret it as lack of scrutiny. But if the Opposition agrees, we have no problem in removing the party representatives on the planning board.” He noted that a parliamentary committee dedicated to overseeing planning issues proposed by Labour should be able to provide enough scrutiny.

Standing in front of the Floriana offices of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Dr Muscat said the authority’s planning and environment functions would be separated by a Labour government.

Mepa’s environment function would be merged with the resources authority and the new entity would have a vote on the planning board.

Dr Muscat said this proposal would strengthen the environment aspect in the issuance of building permits because the new authority would not only make recom-mendations but also be part of the decision-making process.

The separation of powers, he added, was something environmental groups and developers had long been asking for. Building permits and planning issues would be dealt with by a re-christened Mepa called the Planning and Sustainable Develop-ment Authority. The authority would be more focused on building permits and planning issues, giving more space to architects, engineers and other professionals in the field, Dr Muscat said.

Describing the Mepa reform undertaken by the current administration as a “spectacular failure”, Dr Muscat said planning fees would also be reviewed downwards to make them realistic.

The proposals include the creation of a fund that environment groups can tap to carry out research on projects they would wantto object to.

Green groups would also be allowed to each nominate a representative on the planning and environment authorities.

“This will be different from the current situation where the Government chooses someone who it feels is close to the environment lobby,” Dr Muscat said.

In one of the more controversial issues, Labour is pledging to allow architects to issue compliance certificates. These certificates are crucial because developers need them to get water and electricity supplied to the building. These are currently issued by Mepa.

Under Labour’s plan, private architects would be able to certify that works have been conducted according to permit conditions.

However, when asked about the illegal Armier boathouses Dr Muscat said “a reasonable and just solution” had to be found.

He drew a distinction between Armier and other enforcement issues but did not elaborate.

Labour’s proposal to split the planning and environment functions was slammed by Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio, who said the environment would be “relegated to second division status”.

AD favours a super authority that includes, planning, environment and resources, Dr Briguglio added.

Labour’s planning changes in short

• Planning and Sustainable Development Authority to replace Mepa.
• Environment and Resources Authority to take over environment function.
• Environment authority will have a vote on planning board.
• NGOs will appoint representative on both authorities.
• Planning board will hold meetings in Gozo.
• A parliamentary committee will oversee planning issues.
• Councils will vote on permits when big projects are considered.
• Scheme to regularise minor illegalities will be extended.
• Planning tariffs will be reviewed downwards.
• Architects will be empowered to issue compliance certificates.
• Permit expiry date will be extended by five years in certain cases.
• A fund to help green groups in their research will be set up.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com

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