The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has published its annual report for this year. For the first time the report will be entirely digital and available on CDs.

The report will also be available to download from www.mepa.org.mt as a publication.

“This step was taken not only to reduce the cost of producing the annual report, but also to decrease the use of paper. Using electronic means, one may wish to print only the pages that are of particular interest, so the environmental benefits are, from this point of view, considerable,” said MEPA chairman Andrew Calleja.

The report covers the work undertaken by the Directorates, the Director General’s Office, the chairman’s Office, the audit office and the accounts. An overview of the achievements of the authority over the past year, as highlighted in the annual report are as follows:

Overall

Almost 5,000 complaints serviced; An integrated Complaints Office set up; 14 project proposals for EU funding worth e30m presented; New information inserted in a Sunday paper on a five-week basis; Planning applications now also being printed on a Sunday paper.

Planning Directorate

+ 4 per cent files processed; +3 per cent in decisions taken; -1 per cent in approvals; 22 per cent in reconsiderations caseload; Increase in internal and external consultations; Lm1m in urban improvement funds for 100 projects; Major changes to DNOs making it simpler to have accepted development approved; Publication of DC2007 with updated planning guidance for Architects and Planners; Walling off of vacant sites in areas within scheme; Publication and consultation on six development briefs; Investigation of over 3,400 complaints by the enforcement team; 24 direct actions

Environment Protection Directorate

Malta scores highly on the observance of Natura 2000 directive; Environmental permitting regime fully functional; Active air monitoring in five stations and passive monitoring from 44 stations. Results available on www.mepa.org.mt; Re-organisation of the directorate; raft guidance on EIA and SEA directives; increased public consultation through the introduction of scoping meetings with NGOs on EIAs; Registration of producers of packaging and electrical and electronic waste; Balconies scheme opened for all urban conservation areas and all scheduled buildings; Work on policy regarding invasive species in Malta; Monitoring of biodiversity

Corporate Services Directorate

Upgrading of MEPA website with increased facilities for real-time readings of air monitoring results; E-applications process at an advanced stage with limited external use for monitoring purposes. MEPA places second in E-government services in a pan-European competition; Increase in topographical surveying activity; Release of new orthophoto map and commissioning of new aerial photos for the use of enforcement.