The government has its hands tied when it comes to curbing development in Malta, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday, shifting the blame for the current situation on local plans introduced 15 years ago by aNationalist Party government.

Many Maltese are up in arms over the currently rife excessive development, and it has been for a few years. One such person who voiced his concern was Qala Mayor Paul Buttigieg, who warned that Ħondoq ir-Rummien remains under the threat of development, and that it should be protected by becoming an Outside Development Zone (ODZ).

Speaking to journalists, the Prime Minister said that this is not an easy issue to resolve. “Regarding areas which are ODZ and which aren't, I remind everyone that local plans in our country were drawn up in the year 2006. This happened during a Nationalist administration, and this government never changed the local plan,” the Prime Minister said.  

“The reality is that today there are these restrictions where it's not a question of simply saying ‘I will change an area’s designation from one to the other’.”

Abela stated that this is because the Nationalist Party, while it was in government, implemented the local plans “as they pleased”, meaning that there are restrictions, even of a legal nature, which limit what the government can do.

“Even if one wants to change something, there are limitations to how much can be changed because of the circumstances introduced during that time.”

Pressed further on this issue, he said that he is speaking in general as excessive development is not only happening in one particular area, but is rather pervasive.

Furthermore, Abela said that he “has heard certain arguments and understands them… but you have a situation where the government’s hands are tied due to what the previous administration did.”

“If you ask whether I fully agree with the plan that was introduced in 2006, I would say no, I had a number of reservations. But the reality is that that plan created rights for property owners and it is not as simple as saying that the Government will change the local plan and the rights that these owners have... These things do not work that way,” he remarked.

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