The Planning Authority said today it is proposing standard procedures for Social Impact Assessments (SIA) to become a requirement as part of the planning system.

With the practice of SIA in Malta still in its infancy, the Planning Authority, through this document is seeking to introduce a standard procedure for their use and the terms of reference to guide the preparation of future SIAs. To date, SIAs are only obligatory if a proposed project is making use of the tall buildings policy.

A social impact assessment (SIA) seeks to identify and manage both the positive and negative social impacts of planned projects or proposed policy-making. SIAs are used to mitigate negative impacts and identify opportunities to enhance benefits for local communities and broader society.

The Planning Authority is proposing that when plans or policies are being drafted, the Executive Council assesses the need for an SIA on a case-by-case basis. However when  the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) screening process identifies the need for an SEA on a plan or policy, this will automatically trigger the need for an SIA to be carried out. In proposed development applications, an SIA will become a requirement whenever the relevant plan or policy indicates it to be a requirement. All SIA reports shall be published.

The proposed procedures may be downloaded from the Planning Authority website www.pa.org.mt. The Authority invites the public to send in their comments and feedback either through postal address: Planning Authority, SIA Procedures Consultation, Strategic and Policy Making Division, St. Francis Ravelin, Floriana, FRN 1230 or through email address: [email protected]. Submissions must be received by 28 June 2019.