Government has mastered the art of twisting rules to suit its agenda and to draft policies that, despite apparent consultation, remain open-ended to suit shady deals. Such is the case regarding development planning and environment, Partit Demokratiku said in a statement.
The Parliamentary Committee of Environment and Sustainable Development is meeting this afternoon to discuss a Planning Authority Draft Policy on Social Impact Assessments as a tool for decision making in Spatial Planning.
“What's the point of imposing more studies if the regulations are then twisted to allow developments that impose a severe negative impact on the community? What is needed is a change in culture by the authorities apart from more studies,” stated interim leader Godfrey Farrugia. “A case in point is ITS at St. George’s Bay. With all the objections that there were (objections that should have also come out in the SIA) the Planning Authority still did its own thing and served the political direction.”
It is as if we are closing the gate after the horse has bolted. Now that the urban landscape is totally ruined for lack of proper town planning by competent experts, we’re looking for a solution which can never reverse the gross uglification that has been allowed to perpetrate until now.
This White Paper mentions the Floor Area Ratio and the need for a Social Impact Assessment to justify a tall building.
“The way to the floor area ratio policy is being used is radically wrong. The FAR should be used to create open space without increasing the building volume,” stated interim deputy leader Timothy Alden.
Partit Demokratiku noted that this Parliamentary Committee has been rendered into a rubber stamping exercise as government is not really listening.