Din l-Art Helwa

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ENGOs call for constructive process which avoids the mistakes of Bill 144

The undersigned ENGOs, which form part of the Ġustizzja għal Artna Campaign, have taken note of the Government's intent to reform the planning appeals process so as to suspend works while an appeal is being heard.

The ENGOs express their hope that this reform will be a simple amendment to the existing law regulating appeals and that no other unrelated provisions will be bundled with this change.

The ENGOs wish to remind that when Bill 144 was presented, this included several other provisions which severely restricted and impacted negatively the right of appeal for ENGOs and objectors.

These included fines of EUR 5000 for filing so-called 'vexatious appeals', the restriction of the grounds on which a PA decision may be appealed to those listed in an objection submitted during the processing of the planning application, the removal of the power of the Court of Appeal to annul permits, and the granting of a new power to the Planning Tribunal to completely reconfigure the entire development as it wished during the appeals process.

The ENGOs call on the Government to take this opportunity and turn the page on the mistakes of Bill 144. The ENGOs also hope that the process will be more constructive this time and that the reform will not be tabled in Parliament again as an accomplished fact during the coming months.

Signed

Ramblers Malta
FAA Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Din l-Art Helwa
Moviment Graffitti
Friends of the Earth Malta
Nature Trust - FEE Malta
Wirt Għawdex
Għawdix
Birdlife Malta

May you inject the love of cultural and environmental heritage in your children

Tribunal revokes permit for restaurant in Qajjenza following Din l-Art Ħelwa appeal The Environment and Planning Review Tribunal has revoked a permit for the development of a restaurant on a site designated as a Green Area in Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa, upholding an appeal filed by heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa.

'Record-Time' Restoration Brings Collapsed Victoria Lines Wall Back To Life A section of the historic Victoria Lines that recently collapsed at Wied il-Faħam has already been rebuilt, with heritage NGO Friends of the Victoria Lines praising what it described as a “record-time” restoration. The organisation said the swift intervention by the Restoration and Preservation...

Ilbieraħ il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela impenja ruħu li jdaħħal ir-riforma fl-appelli tal-ippjanar matul l-ewwel mitt jum ta’ din il-leġiżlatura.

⚠️ Filwaqt li nilqgħu din il-wegħda, nittamaw li issa jibda proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni ġenwina. Fuq kollox, nisperaw li din ir-riforma tant meħtieġa ma terġax tintuża bħala Żiemel ta’ Trojja għal bidliet legali usa’ kontra l-poplu u l-ambjent tiegħu.

Għaliex qed ngħidu hekk?

Ilna mill-2023 niġu mwiegħda din ir-riforma fl-appelli tant bażika u ovvja. Bħalissa, waqt li jkun għaddej appell kontra deċiżjoni tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, l-iżviluppatur jista’ jibda jibni, minkejja l-fatt li dak il-permess qed jiġi kkontestat fil-qrati.

Ir-riżultat huwa li binijiet sħaħ jilħqu jitlestew abbażi ta’ permessi mhux definittivi, li ta’ spiss jiġu mħassra mill-qrati.

Matul dawn is-snin il-Gvern kien jgħidilna li qed jaħdem fuq riforma fl-appelli, iżda ripetutament irrifjuta li jurina l-abbozz tagħha. Imbagħad, f’Lulju tal-2025, sibna ma’ wiċċna l-hekk imsejħa “riforma” fl-ippjanar li kienet se tkisser is-salvagwardji kollha li fadallu l-poplu kontra r-regħba tal-iżviluppaturi.

🚨 L-Abbozz 144 kien eżerċizzju fil-qerq. Filwaqt li taparsi kien se jissospendi x-xogħlijiet ta’ bini waqt li jkun għaddej appell, kien qiegħed ukoll ikisser id-dritt għall-appell innifsu, billi, fost affarijiet oħrajn 👇

❌ Jagħmilha impossibbli għaċ-ċittadin komuni li jappella d-deċiżjonijiet imħassra tal-PA. Dan billi ma jħallix l-appell isir abbażi tal-liġijiet u l-politiki kollha tal-ippjanar li nkisru, imma biss abbażi ta’ dawk il-punti tekniċi li tkun elenkajt f’oġġezzjoni, waqt li l-applikazzjoni kienet għadha qed tiġi pproċessata.

❌ It-theddida ta’ €5,000 multa jekk it-Tribunal iqis l-appell tiegħek frivolu u vessatorju.

❌ It-tneħħija tas-setgħa tal-Qorti li tħassar permess illegali.

Il-kampanja Ġustizzja għal Artna saħqet li din kienet lista tax-xewqat tal-iżviluppaturi, moħbija b’mod qarrieq taħt riforma li konna ilna snin nitolbu.

🟠 Nittamaw li din id-darba l-Gvern iniedi riforma tal-appelli ġenwina u fl-interess tal-poplu. Aħna, flimkien mal-għaqdiet l-oħra, ninsabu lesti biex nagħtu l-kontribut tagħna għal bidla li twassal għal iktar ġustizzja f’artna.

Iżda ninsabu lesti wkoll li nkomplu l-ġlieda tagħna kontra kolp ta’ stat mill-iżviluppaturi, jekk dak li ġara f’Lulju tas-sena li għaddiet, jirrepeti ruħu din id-darba wkoll.

Read in English in the comments below.

Restoration of Qolla l-Bajda battery Infringements to be removed, original character reinstated, public access reopened at the historic site

Do not miss this!

St Nicholas fresco before and after restoration in the Annunciation church in Ħal Millieri

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) has raised concerns over controversial plans to reclaim land along the Sliema seafront for the construction of a large lido.

The heritage watchdog has warned the development would extend into a protected landscape area safeguarding the setting of Malta's historic harbour fortifications.

In comments submitted as part of the Planning Authority consultation process, the SCH noted that the proposed development would encroach into an Area of High Landscape Value (AHLV), specifically designated to protect the context and values of the scheduled harbour fortifications.

📱Read more on https://bit.ly/4fMIL2R

Tribunal Revokes Permit for Restaurant in Qajjenza Green Area Following Din l-Art Ħelwa Appeal

The Environment and Planning Review Tribunal has revoked a permit (PA/08389/24) for the development of a restaurant on a site designated as a Green Area in Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa, upholding an appeal filed by Din l-Art Ħelwa.

The appeal challenged the Planning Authority's approval of a restaurant on the site despite its designation in the Local Plan as a Green Area. Din l-Art Ħelwa argued that the permit directly conflicted with the Local Plans and undermined the very purpose of designating land as public open space.

According to the Local Plan, the area is intended to be developed as a public garden and may include facilities related to children's play. The policy does not permit restaurants, cafeterias, or similar commercial uses on the site. Din l-Art Ħelwa further pointed out that the Local Plan specifically identifies alternative locations in Qajjenza for such facilities, including the nearby Ferretti Battery, demonstrating the clear planning intention to accommodate catering establishments elsewhere.

In an attempt to circumvent this policy restriction, the applicants proposed an accessible green roof above the restaurant. Din l-Art Ħelwa maintained that the Planning Authority's acceptance of this argument was fundamentally flawed. The NGO argued that a green roof cannot be used to justify the commercialisation of a space intended to serve the public as a green open area.

In its decision, the Tribunal agreed that the approved development failed to comply with the applicable planning framework and revoked the permit.

Din l-Art Ħelwa welcomed the decision that confirmed the need to respect planning policies over creative interpretations that defeat their very purpose.

"Land designated for public green spaces must be protected in accordance with applicable planning policies. Allowing a restaurant on a site specifically reserved for a public garden would have undermined both the Local Plan and the public interest it seeks to safeguard."

Din l-Art Ħelwa reiterated its commitment to ensuring that Malta's planning policies are respected, so that public open spaces are safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations.

Din l-Art Ħelwa was represented by Perit Tara Cassar