The planning authority’s environment and planning functions are set to be separated by the end of next year, at the same time as the revision of local plans is completed, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Michael Farrugia said.
Speaking during a meeting with the Malta Developers Association, Dr Farrugia said that some local plans were outdated and did not reflect reality.
“You cannot have a local plan which lists a road as residential but when you go there all you find are shops and no residences.
Mepa’s case officers must quote local plans in their reports but also include the present situation,” he said.
Dr Farrugia added that the new Malta Environment and Planning Authority board members would be announced in the coming days.
He said he planned to meet Mepa’s Environment and Planning Commissions to guide them on taking a more pragmatic approach in their assessment of planning applications.
He explained that the Government wanted Mepa to be in a position to fast-track certain projects, such as those receiving EU funding and projects connected with employment opportunities. “We said we want to be a pro-business government,” he said.
A person will be assigned to go through the details of proposals or large projects to iron out potential problems before they reach the permit stage at Mepa.
On bureaucracy, Dr Farrugia said the Government was examining the various reports on the subject with a view to starting a consultation process and lowering this hurdle as far as possible.
“Less bureaucracy and more transparency,” he said.
Earlier in the meeting, MDA president Michael Falzon said that after many of the association’s proposals were included in the electoral programme, it now wanted to meet the Government to see how they were going to be implemented.
He requested that one of the new Mepa board members be a developer to ensure there was someone who known how things worked. Dr Farrugia said this suggestion would be considered.
Association deputy president Sandro Chetcuti insisted that the substantial development fees charged by Mepa should be reduced “with immediate effect”. Dr Farrugia replied that the fees were being “evaluated”.
Mr Chetcuti spoke about the “previous government’s failed Mepa reform” which, he said, had dealt a blow to the construction industry.
He insisted the association was against abuse and would not protect anyone caught manipulating the situation.
However, “we will insist on what is ours by right because we create jobs and sustainable projects and give abandoned places a fresh look”.