3.30pm Updated with Planning Authority rebuttal
Malta's architect body has come out strongly against changes in planning procedures, saying the lack of consultation runs counter to the Development Planning Act.
In a statement issued this morning, the Malta Chamber of Architects said that the unilateral revocation of a 2007 Development Notification Order happened without any prior notice and with a "complete disregard for stipulated legal obligations".
Such unilateral changes not only ran counter to legal requirements - which oblige the Planning Authority's executive council to consult with the Chamber of Architects - but also created a legal vacuum "since the [Planning] Authority is not currently accepting any new DNO submissions until a new Legal Notice is published to replace the now defunct order," the chamber said.
It called on the government to "immediately withdraw" the legal notice and ensure the Development Planning Act was adhered to in full.
Planning Authority says KTP knew of changes
In a detailed rebuttal, the Planning Authority vehemently denied that the KTP's claims.
It noted that the KTP had itself written to the Planning Parliamentary Secretary on 21 March thanking "the Government for honouring its obligation to consult with the KTP on matters which affect the profession”.
In the same letter, the KTP highlighted a number of other issues related to the new legal notice on procedures and attached additional comments, the Planning Authority said.
It went on to note that it had held various meetings with the KTP, including a half-day seminar for all architects on the 14 March. It had also published the proposed legal notice on its website.
The Authority also said that, contrary to the KTP's claims, it had no legal obligation to consult the public when regulations pertaining to development application procedures were amended. Nevertheless, it said, ", the Authority and Government still took the initiative to consult KTP and the public."
It argued that the new summary procedure introduced by the changes would mean that works previously allowed to occur without any form of public consultation would now be subjected to a two-week period of public consultation.
"The KTP was fully aware that the DNO was going to be replaced given that on the 20th of April 2016 a draft Development Order was published for consultation as required by law. Besides adverts being published in the local newspapers, the KTP and all Periti were informed about this consultation through an email," the Authority said.