Land reclamation projects within the Paceville Master Plan will not be automatically be approved even if they meet the requirements set by the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the Environmental Impact Assessment.

Planning Authority executive chairperson Johann Buttigieg told the House  Environmental and Development Planning Committee that the projects had to be innovative to be considered for approval but the government or the PA could, at their discretion, decide to grant approval for other reasons.

Alternattiva Demokratika vice-chairman Carmel Cacopardo said that by proposing that the coast of St George’s Bay be fully developed, the Paceville Master Plan had failed to account for a modification to the Civil Code to protect the coast, as affirmed unanimously by Parliament earlier this year. He said the master plan should go back to the drawing board.

Environmental Planning and Management Consultant Alfred Baldacchino said various aspects of the Plan, such as the proposed land reclamation, were in conflict with various international environmental agreements.

A key concern of the eNGOs present for the meeting was the lack of availability to the public of the Paceville Plan’s environmental, economic, and social information.

PA spokesmen said such information would be available within the second draft of the plan, which would take into consideration the results of the public consultation currently underway.

Committee chairman Franco Mercieca also requested that the consultants responsible for the plan appear before the committee.

However, he did not see the need for an extension of the consultation period once further information was made available.