Green space in Malta is shrinking. It has been for the past 20 or so years. Now, obviously, with an increasing population, built up areas are bound to change or spread, but what we have witnessed in recent times goes beyond what is needed, and definitely beyond what is acceptable.

Turning one room plots into villas in the middle of the countryside. Allowing the construction of elderly homes on ODZ land, allowing more and more construction in areas that should be kept green and open. It is absolutely unacceptable.

Pair this with the uglification of Malta's urban area, with the Planning Authority giving the ok for shoe boxes to be built, for buildings that show no signs of uniformity to be constructed side by side and you have a recipe for disaster.

In certain towns for example, the mismatch in building height is clear for all to see, thus leading to neighbours trying to build higher than each other. Where does it end? Areas which once saw beautiful town houses are now terribly ugly. Yes, apartments can be built, but at least force the design to be visually appealing.

It makes one question what the Planning Authority members over the years were actually doing.

The government has also spoken about protecting Gozo from becoming like Malta. Well, it is already failing in this regard, as certain parts of the sister island are already ruined by high blank party walls. Let's be honest, if the government is failing to protect Gozo now from such development, then it will definitely not be able to contain the situation after the tunnel is built, regardless of the empty statements it has made in this regard.

Malta needs stronger watchdogs. It needs more concrete strict policies which safeguard the traditional urban environment, and stricter controls on ODZ construction. The authorities need more powers to say no over the visual look of a building, and it must be stricter in this regard.

The ERA needs to be given more powers. If the ERA says that a project is harmful to the environment, then it should not be allowed to go through. The same could be said for the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage.

In addition, stronger environmental protection controls are needed when it comes to Infrastructure Malta, who have been seen, repeatedly, to be bulldozing over objections unless very strong stands are taken against it.

Environmental NGOs have been doing a great part to protect Malta's environment, but they can only do so much. We need stronger planning policies which aim to safeguard the traditional look of Malta and its environment, rather than allow a hotchpotch approach to construction on the islands and pandering to developers.