Existing buildings in the countryside will be considered for child care day facilities as the Planning Authority today published an updated approved land use planning framework, which it says will respond to parents' growing demand for such facilities.
The policy promotes that such facilities are to be located within residential areas or employment hubs such as town centres, industrial zones, micro-enterprise parks, tourism zones and entertainment zones.
This approach seeks to make it easier for working parents to have access to these facilities close to their place of work, the PA said in a statement.
Existing buildings in the countryside may also be considered suitable for the provision of childcare facilities as long as the building is not too distant from the urban area and is already serviced by the road network.
The principal land use planning considerations in this guidance document fall into three thematic areas: location, suitability and scale of the premises and the potential impact on neighbours.
Premises which share their access with a block of flats will not be considered appropriate
Due to the presence of undesirable levels of chemical pollution and noise, as well as a higher risk of traffic accidents, the guidelines will not favourably consider childcare facilities on arterial, distributor or other heavy traffic roads.
From a land-use perspective, the policy considers terraced houses, maisonettes and detached properties in appropriate locations as suitable for the use of child day care facilities, provided they satisfy the requirements of this policy, the PA said.
Moreso, detached properties, may have the added advantage since they are more likely to be able to provide outside play areas and accommodate on-site parking.
To protect the amenity of the surrounding area and the impact that such facilities may have on neighbours, premises which share their access with a block of flats will not be considered appropriate.
Additionally, all proposed child day care facilities will need to ensure they are fully accessible for all, including persons with a disability.
The amendment follows the government's commitment to increase the female workforce and encourage more women to re-enter the labour market.
The proposed childcare facilities will primarily be assessed by the Education Ministry.
The approved policy document together with the submissions received from the public during the public consultation phase may be viewed on www.pa.org.mt.