The now long-running debate surrounding the government's proposed planning reforms has often focused on how the changes could affect development, permits, appeals and the rights of residents and applicants.

Yet amid all these arguments, the Chamber of Geologists has raised a concern which goes back to something even more fundamental: the ground on which we build.

The Chamber has warned that geological considerations are not being given enough importance in the proposed reforms, and that Malta needs a stronger system through which geological information is gathered and taken into account when development is being considered.

It is a concern which deserves serious attention.

Geology may sound like a highly technical subject which has little to do with the everyday planning concerns of most people, but the reality is very different.

Before a building can rise, foundations must be laid and, in many cases, excavation must take place. The conditions beneath a development site can therefore have consequences not only for the project itself, but also for neighbouring properties and the surrounding area.

This is particularly relevant in a country such as Malta, where development often takes place in densely built-up areas and excavation can happen only metres away from people's homes.

Construction does not take place in isolation, and what happens within the boundaries of one site can sometimes have an impact beyond them.

Understanding the geological conditions of a site should therefore form part of an approach which seeks to identify potential risks before works begin, rather than dealing with problems only after they emerge.

Measures intended to protect people and property should not simply be dismissed as another layer of bureaucracy.

Where geological assessments are necessary, carrying them out at the right stage can provide developers, authorities and neighbouring residents with greater certainty about the conditions in which works will take place.

Malta has experienced enough construction-related incidents over the years for safety to remain at the forefront whenever changes to the planning and building systems are being discussed.

While regulation can never eliminate every possible accident, authorities have a duty to ensure that reasonable steps are taken to identify and reduce risks before construction begins.

This is why the Chamber's concerns should be considered seriously as part of the wider consultation on planning reform.

The government does not necessarily have to accept every proposal put forward by every organisation, but concerns raised by professionals with expertise in a particular field deserve a clear response and proper consideration.

Much of the controversy surrounding the proposed reforms has centred on who gains or loses rights within the planning system.

Those are important questions and they deserve debate, but reform should also be judged on whether it creates a system which produces safer and better development.

Planning is not simply about deciding whether a particular number of floors, apartments or commercial spaces can be built on a particular site.

It must also consider how development interacts with its surroundings and whether the necessary information is available to make sound decisions.

If Malta is going to reform its planning system, it should use the opportunity to strengthen it wherever genuine weaknesses are identified.

After all, good development depends on good foundations, and good planning should begin by understanding the ground on which those foundations will stand.