Planning Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon insists a proposal to regularise illegally-built and altered properties is “definitely not an amnesty”.

“For this to be an amnesty, the offenders would have to be let off the hook. But I can assure you that those who have sinned will have to repent and pay a penalty that fits their crime,” he said.

Earlier this month, Times of Malta revealed that the planning authority was in the final stages of drafting a scheme to drop pending enforcement procedures against about 10,000 properties. The scheme is expected to rake in more than €20 million in fines and will apply to all infringements that took place before 2013 and those outside development zones that date back to before 1994 – the year the planning authority was set up.

Asked whether the amnesty scheme would also apply to large villas built without the necessary permits, Dr Falzon took issue with the term ‘amnesty’ and did not specify which planning infractions would be covered.

He would not give details either on what the regularisation fines would consist of and what terms and conditions would apply, saying only they would be “effective” but “attractive”.

“Let me be clear: those that do not make use of this scheme will face action,” Dr Falzon said.

He was speaking during a press conference when it was announced that about 2,200 government-owned garages will be put up for sale next week.

The garage sale was aimed at families who lived in public housing and wanted to bequeath something to their children by purchasing the adjoining garage, he said.

The scheme would also include nearby garages and those that were not connected to the government houses at all, he added.

The garages will sell at about €15,000.

The scheme, announced in the last Budget, will only be applicable to garages being rented or leased and will not include the air space, meaning owners will not be able to build upon the garage they purchase.

The scheme will only include garages owned by the Land Department and not those belonging to the Housing Authority.

Dr Falzon said another scheme would see government-owned shops in Valletta put up for sale round about April.