Proposed changes to the Grand Harbour Local Plan (GHLP) do not have a significant environmental effect when assessed using the criteria set out in Schedule 4 of LN418/2005 and the process is exempt from requiring a strategic environment assessment, the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) audit team said.

The proposed amendments related to changes to eight policies, two falling under general policies (route variation, upgrading of industrial estate), another two under area policies (inclusion of junction upgrades, and inclusion of Ricasoli in the public transport system), and the remaining four under the harbour area (addition of the shoreline to the Rinella recreational area, media development city, building heights and public utilities provision).

During the screening process, the SEAT audit team said, the proponent presented the submissions received during the consultation phase of the proposed changes. The SEA audit team took these submissions into consideration in its assessment.

In reaching its conclusions, the SEA audit team assessed the proposed changes and the presentations made by the proponent against the relevant criteria of LN415/2005. The SEA audit team confirmed that the proposed review of the GHLP would be subject to a SEA if it were deemed to have a significant environmental impact at the screening stage.

The screening process postulated that the review of the GHLP did not have a significant environmental impact.

Consequently, the SEA audit team concluded that the proposed review of the GHLP area does not have a significant environmental effect when assessed using the criteria set out in Schedule 4 of LN418/2005.

The audit team, on the strength of the relevant provisions of LN 418/2005, The Strategic Environment Assessment Regulations 2005, that transpose Directive 2001/42/EC on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment, finds that this process is exempt from requiring a strategic environment assessment.