Further development zone extensions as part of the local plans revision were unlikely except to address certain “anomalies”, Mepa chairman Vince Cassar said.
Speaking during a consultation meeting in Gozo, he said that even the Malta Developers Association had recently spoken along these lines.
Mr Cassar said that some anomalies going back years might have to be addressed by tweaking the boundaries of development zones.
Speaking on the architectural value of buildings, Mr Cassar said that while awareness had grown about the importance of historic buildings, many still had the perception that early 20th century architecture had little or no value.
Mepa wants to raise awareness about the importance of such buildings before it was too late, he said, pointing to the Sliema seafront as a good example of what would happen if no action was taken.
Yesterday’s was the latest in a series of consultation meetings on the revision of the local plans, which will go on until the end of next month. Representatives from various NGOs shared their ideas and expressed concerns on major environmental issues in Gozo. Members of the Gozo Business Chamber highlighted the need to address the traffic situation in Victoria and proposed a ring road to ease traffic congestion in the centre. They noted that nothing was done to compensate for the loss of about 46 parking spaces when the bus terminus was refurbished in 2011.
Joe Muscat, from the Gozo Tourism Association, argued that Mġarr harbour was no longer adequate to cope with the volume of traffic during the peak season and urged the authorities to seriously consider having a secondary port.
Touching on the farmhouse industry, which has flourished in recent years, he stressed the need for regulation, pointing out that a significant number of them were located outside development zones and could even give rise to conflicts with the agricultural industry.
Real estate agency representatives insisted on a proper demographic study to determine what kind of property was in demand.
Mr Cassar said that, at this stage, Mepa was limiting itself to evaluate suggestions and would not be pronouncing on any particular issue. In the coming weeks, the new agro tourism policy would be unveiled for public consultation.
He said the planning authority would be looking favourably on proposals for boutique hotels, especially within the context of the large number of vacant properties across the Maltese islands.