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James Debono
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority undertook the gargantuan task of drawing the new development zones in barely three days, amid concern on possible leaks which would have led to a speculation boom.
The MEPA board took a decision on the sites to be included in the proposed new building boundaries on 11 May, barely three days after the Cabinet decision on the criteria to be applied in drawing the boundaries taken on 8 May.
This was revealed by a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Environment and Rural Affairs when asked by MaltaToday on the exact timeframe during which this sensitive decision was taken.
Effectively, this means MEPA had barely three days to interpret the government’s criteria to draw up the new zones, which roughly comprise an area the size of the town of Siggiewi.
The Ministry spokesperson pointed out that discussions on the seven local plans for different areas of Malta and Gozo had been ongoing for the past 13 years. During this period public consultations were held and the public was asked to submit its requests for inclusion of new lands within the building schemes.
But the Cabinet decision about the criteria to be applied in the final recommendation to parliament was taken on the 8 May.
The MEPA board took a decision on the sites to be included on the 11 May and on that same evening the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment made the criteria public. Public consultation on the proposed boundaries was launched on the 15 May 2006.
But the Cabinet was not only responsible for drawing up the criteria for the inclusion of new lands. The government itself also proposed a number of government owned as well as privately owned lands for inclusion.
The Government Property Division made the requests relating to government land.
But the decision on the other sites which Government requested MEPA to consider for inclusion, was taken by Cabinet itself, the same government spokesperson told MaltaToday.
The government would not reveal how long it took for the cabinet to reach on which lands should be submitted to MEPA for inclusion.
This decision had enormous financial repercussions on the owners of lands included in the new schemes.
Some of the plot owners have become rich overnight while others who have been left out are angry for having missed the bus again.
According to informed sources, people who have bought a tomna (12,100 square feet) for Lm15,000 outside existing development schemes could be able to sell it for Lm100,000 after the inclusion of their land in the new schemes.
Amid speculation on the impending revision of boundaries, speculators were on the lookout for any clue on which lands were destined for inclusion in the new schemes. In order to avoid any leaks the Cabinet wanted to ensure that their criteria remain secret until the end of the process.
“In fact, MEPA was instructed to move ahead in the fastest way possible,” a ministry spokesperson told MaltaToday.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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