Information requested from the Planning Authority is still not available to the Opposition in discussions on the Paceville masterplan by the House Environment and Development Planning Committee, Shadow Minister Marthese Portelli told the committee.

The committee, however, were still able to approve a list of recommendations on a new masterplan that will be presented to Parliament.

It was established that the current masterplan was, as according to Mott Macdonald, in fact a development framework. 




Mott Macdonald should not design the new master plan, Marthese Portelli said. She also insisted that vital information be available to the committee in order for the new plan to be examined appropriately.

The committee members also agreed that the plan should be beneficial to the entire community and will not sacrifice public and private land for private investors.

The members will also ensure that residents will know how expropriations will be valued.

It was suggested that proposed public spaces should be constructed on government land, and all future development should be built in accordance to the Floor Area Ratio and the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development.

The members also insisted that any public land which the government intends to sell will be sold at market rates; and that planning and concession gains will fund infrastructural development, which will occur prior to the implementation of the master plan.

Local Councils of the areas surrounding Paceville will also be entitled to funds to aid in infrastructural development.

The local councils, along with residents, eNGOs and other stakeholders will also be consulted during the plan’s design.

Labour MP Charles Buhagiar told the committee that prior to any land reclamation the government should introduce a national policy on reclamation.