A video showing the past thirty years of planning applications and approvals went viral a few weeks ago, as it clearly showed the unprecedented growth our urban sprawl has experienced in that time period.

Basing himself on PA data, the creator gives a scathing picture of the pace with which our built environment has inched across the diminutive map of the island, irreversibly. In fact, spanning from 1994, to the present day, the video shows nearly 168,000 applications being approved across the Maltese islands, painting a sobering picture of Malta's rampant development. The video also goes into the detail of distinguishing between ODZ and non - exposing the fact that no fewer than 17,000 permits were in fact granted in outside development zones.

Bottom line? Only 15% of all applications received by the PA were refused over the past 30 years, which probably sums up all there is to know about this subject.

Perhaps this video is nothing but a parable about the situation we find ourselves in. Surely it is a stark representation of the planning (or lack thereof) situation in our country, begging us to wake up and do something. The animated video shows applications being approved against a timeline. No prizes for whoever guesses which time period saw the greatest increase in applications - yes, its post 2013 and we all know why!

It is evident that the country has rolled out the red carpet for construction and very little analytical thought is going in issuing the bonanza of permits. The results are pretty clear for all to see. Our townscapes have been changed forever, with once pretty townhouses now being replaced with soulless glass clad pencil-like buildings that defy the heavens.

Sure, it is progress, one could argue. But there is no reason why progress shouldn't look good. We are not the first country in the world having to build five or six story buildings, but elsewhere these are done in style and in a way that respects their surroundings.

The urban sprawl has crawled so far into our countryside that in certain areas it has disappeared completely. What used to be small pockets of fresh air for our communities are now just another block of apartments next to another block, and yet another.

Naturally I will not blame a landowner that will want to develop their land. Yet it falls squarely in the responsibility of the regulator to see that this is done in a meaningful and tasteful way.

The continued extension of permits reflects a broader policy in Malta, where economic growth and development often seem to take precedence over environmental and social wellbeing.

The rapid development has led to rising property prices and increased living costs, making almost impossible for Maltese citizens, particularly younger generations, to afford housing. Many locals are being priced out their urban areas, leading to social inequalities and a sense of disconnection. Gentrification is a phenomenon which is being experienced every day in Malta.

The latest episode in the Villa Rosa controversy is just another nail in the coffin of good sense. Do we really need another mastodontic project which will absolutely engulf the entire neighbourhood, in an already unhealthily busy area? Has anyone at all thought about the traffic the project will generate? Stress on the grid, and other crucial services?

I fear that matters have slipped the regulators' hands so much, that sadly none of this is enough to make them see sense.

Policymakers must prioritise sustainability and public well-being over short-term economic gains. Comprehensive urban planning reforms are required tame the construction craze and ensure that Malta's growth does not come at the expense of its environment and cultural identity.

Alexander Mangion is Deputy Mayor of Attard