Land use planning is in the news continuously nowadays. Various residential communities are up in arms as they are now realizing that, 18 years ago, they were defrauded when Parliament approved a motion substantially extending the limits of development. The residential communities had then ignored the warning signs. They had ignored all those of us who spoke up, clearly and repeatedly pointing out the dangers that were being created as a result of Parliament’s irresponsible decisions.
The main problem does not lie with the local plans but with the rationalization exercise. This extended the limits of development by incorporating approximately two million square metres of ODZ land as land suitable for development.
Today’s awakening of the residential communities is a result of the fact that the most of the decisions taken by Parliament on 26 July 2006 are only now in the process of being implemented. Implementation has intensified over the past few years.
Local communities are now feeling the pinch, as the waves of destruction, disguised as development, are now much closer to home. Agricultural land has made way for unnecessary road infrastructure as well as a concrete jungle which is expanding at an alarming rate, engulfing our localities. Low lying buildings in our towns and villages have been bulldozed and substituted by concrete cubicles. Permissible building heights increased, as a result endangering the capture of solar energy on many a residential rooftop. Land use planning has compromised the generation of renewable energy in a number of our residential areas.
It is pertinent to point out that ADPD, the Green Party, as well as environmental NGOs, have been consistently pointing out an outrageous land use planning system which continuously places profit before people. Instead of planning for people they plan for profit. Instead of a Planning Authority we have an authority which dishes out development permits.
For a time, when in Opposition, even the Labour Party joined us in being vociferous against the land use planning process. In fact, the Labour Party Opposition, in 2006, in Parliament, voted against the rationalization exercise and the take-up of ODZ land for unbridled development. Then, after March 2013 Labour backtracked, thereby ensuring that the speculation brigade had a free hand in milking the planning process. Making hay while the sun shines!
ADPD-The Green Party is the only political party which has consistently, since 2006, advocated the abrogation of the rationalization exercise, thereby protecting the ODZ land which has not already been devoured by speculation.
It is natural for our residential communities to ensure that their voices are now heard. Their quality of life is at stake.
The land use planning process needs a substantial overhaul which goes much beyond the abrogation of the rationalization exercise. We also need to factor in climate change before it is too late.
Land use planning has to be integrated within an urban vision which places the human person as its central objective. Land use planning is, after all, for people.
The rehabilitation of open spaces and their greening is a positive initiative but, on its own, this is not enough. The availability of funds to introduce or upgrade open spaces in our urban areas is an opportunity to redesign the urban environment such that it becomes people-friendly rather than business or car-friendly. It is also an opportunity to bring urban planning in line with the requirements of climate change mitigation policy.
The smallness of our country, as a result of which everywhere is within easy reach points towards possibilities to encourage activity which does not require the use of a car. This is a unique opportunity to encourage sustainable mobility. Instead, unfortunately, our land use planning process encourages the exact opposite. The proliferation of supermarkets all over the island is a case in point. It makes matters worse. Encouraging local shops of various sizes as an alternative to supermarkets would be of considerable help in the regeneration of various urban areas and contribute to a substantial reduction of car movements in our roads.
Our local plans need to be updated and recalibrated to factor in issues of climate change. The limits of development have to be rolled back to pre-2006 limits through the cancellation of the rationalisation exercise.
At the end of the day, however, the planning process is dependent on selecting adequate decision-takers. Too many inadequate decision-takers have been placed in charge over the years. Parliament should vet properly all those appointed to land use planning decision-taking structures through a rigorous public hearing. The current procedures in place for the scrutiny of public appointments are highly inadequate, generally farcical.
At the end of the day the land use planning process is heavily dependent on those appointed to form part of decision-taking structures. The current mess is a reflection of this basic fact.
An architect and civil engineer, the author is a former Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party in Malta. [email protected] , http://carmelcacopardo.wordpress.com