The decision by Mepa and the government to endorse a new policy on tall buildings contradicted the recommendations of the government's own consultant, environment NGO Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) said.

The consultant, brought over from Chicago, had said that “both commercial and residential high-rises are not justifiable from a strict economic point of view... developers are proposing speculative projects to make quick money despite the high degree of vacancy rates in existing dwelling units at present."

The FAA described the policy as unsustainable and said that given the high rate of vacant property, the government should be giving incentives for developers and investors to focus on work that is genuinely required, like redevelopment, retrofitting, restoration and manufacturing.

The FAA noted that the government's consultant,  Dr Mir M Ali had also concluded that: "Mepa should proceed slowly and take more time. Lack of a master plan results in uncontrolled development and unpredictable impacts on urban life. Future tall building developments should not be considered without further planning and study of existing projects”.

It said that in its haste to please the development sector, the government had rushed irresponsibly into a policy that would permanently affect not only Malta’s landscapes but also the people's health and way of life.