Developments within hospital grounds will no longer need planning permission, raising eyebrows as talks take place over proposed private medical facilities at St Luke’s and in Gozo.
A legal notice published on the eve of Santa Marija lays down that any development related to hospitals will now fall under a new category permitting works “without the need of any notification”.
Such projects will also be exempt from an environmental impact assessment, in line with a second legal notice published on the same day.
Last June, Singaporean firm Vitals Global Healthcare was selected by the government as the preferred bidder for a €200 million investment in the redevelopment of the two State hospitals.
This will comprise the rehabilitation of St Luke’s and the adjacent Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital in Guardamangia as well as the construction of a new block at the Gozo General Hospital.
The latter site will also host a new medical school and campus to be used by Barts Medical School.
The other hospitals that fall under the new law are Mater Dei, Mount Carmel and St Vincent de Paul.
The Parliamentary Secretariat for Planning was asked by this newspaper what prompted the government to introduce these amendments but no reply was received by the time of writing.
The legal changes were questioned by Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, who raised concerns in his blog.
He told the Times of Malta that the timing of these changes fuelled suspicion that government was introducing them by stealth.
“This is a throwback to the pre-1992 days, when government had no obligation to subject itself to planning laws like any other common citizen,” Mr Cacopardo said.
Mr Cacopardo, an architect specialised in planning laws, said the planning exemption could be particularly damaging to Gozo because the hospital was so close to residential areas.
“Who will ensure that any development will not pose hazards to nearby residents such as with the emission of certain fumes?” he asked.
Mr Cacopardo said such fears could only be allayed if there was an independent body overseeing the project.
He also pointed out this move was not unprecedented, as the PN administration had granted a similar expemption for the construction of the unsightly concrete structure at the army maritime base in Haywharf and the Lufthansa Technik hangar at the airport.
A planning law expert, who preferred to remain anonymous, also questioned the legality of the changes.
He said that any amendments to environmental legislation such as the removal of the obligation to carry out an EIA could, according to the law, only be enacted following a public consultation.
The government was also asked about this potential legal conflict, but no reply was forthcoming.