Malta "urgently needs" a holistic master plan and revised local plans supported with clear policies which do not leave room for abusive exploitation in their interpretation and application, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has said.

The proposal was part of the Chamber's Energy and Sustainability Recommendations for the National Budget 2023.

"Businesses are faced with ever increasing pressures and responsibilities to go green and to embark on this green journey. This budget needs to invest in long-term thinking and efforts which will bear fruit through appropriate and focused incentives. A collaborative approach between private enterprise and government is therefore not an option but a must."

Through its Economic Vision 2020-2025, The Malta Chamber had called for 'a Smart, Sustainable Island', "in which we recognise that economic development must ultimately lead to an improved quality of life, yet it reiterates that over-prescriptive obligations will hardly advance our common cause. Companies want to focus on addressing real sustainability issues encountered on the ground, not on writing reports," the Chamber said.

"The development and the construction industry must improve and evolve with full respect for Malta and Gozo's heritage, history, culture, natural environment and well-being. The country urgently needs a holistic Master Plan and revised local plans supported with clear policies which do not leave room for abusive exploitation in their interpretation and application. The ad hoc planning approach adopted over the years has uglified Malta, created uncertainty, excessive speculation and a non-level playing field between industry players as well as the general public. The Malta Chamber believes that a piecemeal approach to planning goes against the very spirit of planning itself. Development Brief changes, Partial Reviews and incongruent policy interpretation and applications must stop."

The Chamber said that, according to the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, by 2030, new buildings will have to be zero-emission, with public buildings reaching this target by 2027. "This obligation will take into account the whole life-cycle carbon emissions of the buildings, including manufacturing and construction, use, and end-of-life. Preparing Malta for these ambitious standards is going to be a monumental undertaking."

One of the Chamber's proposals is for the drafting of a National Architecture Policy which incorporates aesthetics and landscape, as this will incentivize good spatial planning in Malta. It should include support for aesthetically qualitative and sustainable projects, which are more costly, it said, "and therefore, policies should be tightened to protect streetscapes and raise the quality of buildings." In addition, it should include minimum standards for all new builds to meet the standards established by the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The Chamber said it should also steer away from the piecemeal speculative market of pencil developments and promote qualitative larger scale lifestyle developments addressed in a holistic urban context.

Another proposal is for the introduction of a point system at the Planning Authority for new builds, with a minimum passing mark without which applications cannot be processed further. "Factors featured in the system could include the inclusion of water cisterns and domestic water recycling systems, reconstituted or recycled building materials, passive cooling designs, renewables, energy efficiency, and proper water piping to benefit from recycled grey water for flushing and other uses."

Among other things, the Chamber also proposes that a Carrying Capacity Study of Malta's land environment should be undertaken, taking in account the built and natural environment used for residential, heritage, culture and business requirements.

The Chamber also issued proposals for better waste management, energy as well as excavation and demolition. For example, the Chamber wants the implementation of a new regulatory framework for construction and demolition waste to properly manage such waste while promoting a transition to a more circular economy. It also recommends mandatory garbage collection solutions for all new developments of multiple units, such as dedicated garbage rooms for coordination of refuse collection.