The Public Domain Bill which had been unanimously agreed upon by Parliament in May 2016 never took off despite pending applications, Partiti Demokratiku said in a statement.
It has been sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Planning Development for further consultation but has been deliberately left pending in its agenda, it added.
The Public Domain Bill states that the first 15 metres of the coastline, the country’s seabed and government-owned sites of historical and ecological importance are Public Domain. Areas that may be applied for at PA and declared as public domain by Parliament include waterways, aqueducts, natural springs, valleys, public roads, public squares, woods, parks and sites of ecological and historical importance.
The Government Whip at the time had recommended that future amendments to the Bill could include the subterranean (excluding the maximum depth allowed for basements and car parks) including the water table and the sky-scape beyond a certain number of storeys, PD said
The skyline and seascape of the Sliema – St Julian’s – Paceville – Gzira areas are a case in point. They have been and will be further disturbed by medium-sized and tall buildings. A recent EIA application argues that once the skyline has been rendered less sensitive by other applications, then there is no harm in having more high-rise buildings. This is the prevalent attitude of certain developers, which is exacerbated by government’s passiveness. Public interests are selfishly being ignored and our seascape ruined. Projects such as Fortina, Mercury Tower and db Tower will undoubtedly spoil Malta’s coastline. There are 22 potential medium sized and tall towers applications all waiting to be built in this region.
This statement comes as the PA deliberates on a potential sky-rise to be built instead of the Tigne Officer's Mess which is being considered for protection via Scheduling. PD insists that such a permit should not be granted before a decision is made regarding this building's protection. PD further demands that the Superintendence rises to the occasion and calls a spade a spade. If the Superintendence really wants to use its legal obligations, it can veto the application, but it seems that it is choosing not to.
Partit Demokratiku reminded the PA and Superintendence of their autonomy and their responsibility to protect public good and Malta’s natural and architectural patrimony and to stop dancing to the tune of government’s unsustainable direction.
Partit Demokratiku said that it had presented a Private Member’s Bill in August 2017 calling on Parliament to have a National Masterplan. If this had been implemented, such destruction of our natural and urban heritage, and the uglification of the island would have lessened, if not stopped outright.