The government has proposed a set of criteria which would see changes being made to the development boundaries across Malta and Gozo. These changes will increase land within development zone by over one million square metres.
This is the first time the government will be changing the development boundaries since it introduced the temporary provisions scheme in 1988 and these changes are expected to be binding for at least 10 years.
Environment Minister George Pullicino said the Cabinet of Ministers had discussed and approved the rationalisation of boundaries which would include the inclusion of land that at the moment lies outside development zone. He said the government believes that the land within the development zone – after the boundaries are changed – will be enough for Malta for the time being.
As a result of these changes, the area of land within the development zone will increase by 2.4 per cent or around one million square metres. Mr Pullicino said the criteria also establish that only land which is close to other pieces of land which are already developed will be considered.
Mr Pullicino said the government will next week publish the criteria as well as initiate a six-week public consultation period before the matter goes to parliament for discussion. It is expected to be discussed by parliament before it rises for summer.
The Environment Minister explained that the government saw the need to introduce criteria that are fairer and which could be used as a guideline by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to correct anomalies of development. He said several families and land-owners will be affected by these changes.
He said these criteria will protect sensitive zones and those zones of ecological importance as well as soil which can be used for agricultural purposes.
When asked which pockets of land have been considered, Mr Pullicino said the government has not considered any specific stretches of land but it plans to consider those on which submissions were received during the consultation period.
He said those owners of plots which lie outside development zone and who have not expressed an interest to develop them will not be considered unless it makes sense to have these plots included for infrastructural purposes.
Asked whether the increase in the supply of land available for development would have an effect on the price of property in Malta, Mr Pullicino said the government did not carry out this exercise to reduce the price of property but to be fair with property owners and to address anomalies that have existed since 1988. However, he said, the rate of increase of prices would not remain so steep since the supply would be increasing.
Mr Pullicino said the government also issued separate criteria for Gozo which, since it has specific needs, requires a different set of criteria in order to retain the amount of undeveloped land on this island.
He said there will be a number of exceptions to this set of criteria such as in the case of multi-ownership where a large stretch of land was still divided into plots and sold although it was outside development zone. However, not all these stretches of land will be accepted.