Building permits will be approved by a new Development Planning Authority under government plans to split the planning and environment functions of the current permitting body.
The idea is to have a one stop shop responsible for planning permits, composed of three decision-making organs.
Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia said this evening that the new entity will have a Planning Board that will include representatives of environmental groups, a member representing the new Environment and Resources Authority and local councils. The Planning Board will be ultimately responsible for issuing permits.
The authority will also have a new Building Regulations Board, responsible, amongst other things, for issuing energy performance certificates and monitoring of structural safety.
The third decision-making body will be the Sanitation Board, which will replace the General Services Board and give its endorsement from a sanitation perspective.
The plans were outlined at a public meeting for Mepa employees, green groups, developers and other stakeholders. Those present included Environment Minister Leo Brincat.
The reform document includes some 100 proposals and will shortly be available online as the final phase of the consultation process kicks off.
Dr Farrugia said the new planning authority will be run by an executive council, on which the chairpersons of the three boards shall sit ex officio. The Council shall be directly responsible for the day to day work, monitoring and policy functions of the authority.
"The Council shall ensure that administrative procedures link effectively to other legislation in all areas of government," he said.
The government also plans to introduce a fast track planning approach so that permit applications that conform to all policy requirements inside development zones will be approved in just a month.
Applications which are not eligible under the fast track framework shall remain subject to a 30-day consultation period, during which a number of statutory 'external' and 'internal' consultees and interested third parties are invited to put forward their recommendation along with proposed conditions to be inserted with the permit should it be approved.
Third parties will have their representation period extended from the current 21 days to 30 days.
Under the plans, the environment function will merge under a new authority that will also include resources. Mr Brincat said this new authority will have a vote on the planning board.
Referring to the vacant post of an environment director, Mr Brincat said it made little sense to appoint someone now when the process of change was in the offing.
Mr Brincat said the new Environment and Resources Authority would raise the environment sector to the status of an authority rather than leave it as a department within the planning authority as it is today.
Simone Mizzi from Din l-Art Helwa expressed concern that the environment would be relegated to "a single vote in a 16-member planning board".
Stephen Farrugia, president of the Chamber of Architects, questioned the suitability of a two week consultation period. It is too short, he insisted.
The actual document containing the 100 proposals will only be available next Tuesday.