Taking planning policy away from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and putting it into the hands of the government is a grave mistake, according to Din l-Art Ħelwa.

The NGO said that while it was true the authority was subjected to a lot of pressure and many bad decisions were taken, placing the responsibility in the hands of politicians was a step backwards to the past when many campaigned for an independent body to be entrusted with planning policy.

The statement came in reaction to the proposed reform of the planning authority, launched last Thursday. Among other changes, the Prime Minister suggested the setting up of a new team within his office that would be responsible to formulate the authority's policy, which will have a bearing, among other things, on which areas can be developed and which cannot.

Against the grain of other environmental groups, Din l-Art Ħelwa said it agreed that the authority's planning and environment directorates should remain part of the same authority. It also agreed with the recommendation to harmonise the environmental and planning laws because it would provide a better governance framework and a clearer allocation of responsibility. Some environmental groups have insisted that such responsibilities should be split because such a system would allow for more checks and balances.

Din l-Art Ħelwa welcomed the fact that the government reconfirmed its commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to building or sanctioning outside development zones. However, it reiterated that this commitment had already been made over a year ago with scant results so far.