Ever since the end of World War Two, when Malta had to come to grips with the massive problem of reconstruction, and more so since independence, when responsibility for sorting out this problem was assumed by Maltese politicians, there has been a constant tug of war between developers (and moneyed interests) on the one hand, and policy makers on the other.

It was in the course of what proved, at the outset, to be an unequal contest that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority came into being. MEPA was supposed to play the role of independent arbiter. There have been many occasions when its role was criticised, both on grounds of impartiality as well as efficiency.

Invariably, the debate got mired in politics at every turn, with the result that many fundamental issues, relating to development, environment and other citizen concerns, remain unaddressed all along.

Arising from this situation, voracious and unscrupulous developers have been the beneficiaries. Common citizens are the losers to this day.

Wittingly or otherwise, the Director-General of MEPA, Mr Godwin Cassar, threw some light on the prevailing situation in The Times of 6 April. He was commenting after the release of Mepa statistics showing the approval rate of residential dwelling units.

There has been a steady growth in the number of dwelling unit approvals granted by Mepa since 2000 – 35,547 units, or an average of just fewer than 6,000 permissions per year. Total permissions for dwelling units approved during last year amounted to a 35 per cent rise over 2004 figures.

Oversupply

Mr Cassar observed that, in the light of estimates that under 2,000 new households are formed annually, “it is clear that house building construction has outstripped demographic need by a long shot”

The high rate of urban development is increasing urban densities, triggering problems of noise, car parking, congestion and overlooking of properties.

Perhaps belatedly, Mr Cassar now says that, viewed in the context of continued high house prices, the overall mismatch of supply and demand raises questions about the efficiency of land use. “It also suggests,” he continues to argue, “that increasing dwelling supply has not had a dampening effect on house prices…. and therefore raises the issue of affordability”.

The time may be right to incentivise the better use of vacant dwellings, he goes on to say. This should be accompanied by more intensive programmes of action to significantly improve conditions for residents of urban historic centres such as Valletta and the Three Cities.

This raises the logical question: Why now, and not before substantial resources were allowed to be tied down to assuage the greed of speculators?

Delayed action

Mr Cassar does not answer this question. But he points out that more development projects in urban areas involve major inconvenience to residents. “In view of the high rate of activity in the construction sector,” he says, “the industry should begin to consider shouldering more of the burdens associated with development, by taking action to reduce inconveniences, and the safety and damage risks that neighbours undergo. More effective site management and practices should be introduced, and some of the environmental costs associated with building development could be borne by the developer”.

Frankly, this amounts to wisdom “after the event”. What has Mepa been doing while so many sins of commission and omission were committed in this respect? Much damage has been sustained while the bulldozers did their bit, and developers and speculators ran all the way to the bank.

It is good that steps be taken to save what is savable, but nothing that could be done at this late stage could expunge the hard facts experienced by so many concerned citizens.

Certain parts of Malta, like Sliema, have been turned into permanent building sites during the last decades. Safety and damage provisions to protect residents have existed all along – but they have been honored only in the breach.

The Director-General of Mepa now considers this topic to fall in the ambit of his interests. Why now, and not from the moment the predatory speculators arrived on the scene?

Unless policy makers show that they have the will power and the grit to stand up to the insatiable greed of speculators, things are not likely to improve.

[email protected]