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PS Pullicino promises close monitoring
By Kurt
Sansone
Environmentalists
have voiced their concern over whether the recently published
legal notice giving developers the go-ahead to proceed with certain
alterations without the need to apply for a Planning Authority
permit will open the way for abuse.
But Parliamentary
Secretary George Pullicino has pledged that the changes to the
planning regulations will be closely monitored.
The legal
notice called, Development Notification Order 2001, includes a
list of developments that do not require a PA permit or else require
only a notification. The list covers the construction of washrooms,
the alteration of existing swimming pools, internal changes to
commercial establishments, building structures in backyards, replacement
of timber balconies and other minor alterations. Environmentalists
fear that the regulations may be abused, with washrooms ending
up as apartments and traditional timber balconies replaced by
jarring aluminium.
When asked
whether he accepted that the legal notice could open up loopholes
for abusive developers, Parliamentary Secretary George Pullicino
stressed that the works carried out under the new system are "clearly
listed and dimensions, where applicable, are clearly spelt out".
"If
anyone abuses, then enforcement action will be taken in the same
manner as for all other illegal work," he added.
Quoting the
section that describes how a washroom may be built, Mr Pullicino
said that the specifications are clear, "leaving no room
for ambiguity".
He also said
that if the building falls within an Urban Conservation Area,
then the developer has to wait 30 days from the date of notification
before work can start, giving the PA chance to check the sensitivity
of the site.
Mr Pullicino
explained that the new system is aimed at removing unnecessary
controls where these are not needed. However, he insisted that
all works, even those not requiring a notification, should be
supervised by an architect.
"No
applicant can carry out works, even those works which do not require
any notification at all since they are very minor, without engaging
a ‘perit’," Mr Pullicino concluded.
The
Development Notification Order can be viewed on the Planning Authority’s
web site
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