Democratic Party urges Review Tribunal to allow NGOs to appeal against high-rise developments

The Democratic Party has expressed its support for the NGOs who are currently awaiting the decision by the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal whether they will be admissible to appeal or not.

Yesterday, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Ramblers Association of Malta and the Qui si-Sana Residents Association vowed to continue fighting to protect the environment, despite what they called 'the Planning Authority’s attempt to stop them from exercising their right to appeal' with regard to Sliema Townsquare and Mriehel high-rises.

In November, the PA, through its lawyer Robert Abela, had argued that the Sliema local council, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and green NGOs, had already been represented on the PA board when the project was approved and as such had “no right to appeal” the PA’s approval of the Sliema high-rise.

“NGOs are the voice of the people and of future generations, appealing in order to protect residents’ rights to liveable towns, where major projects such as these are preceded by full studies taking into account the impact of increased traffic, the load on existing infrastructure and social impact, not to mention the towers’ visual impact on Valletta’s World Heritage skyline and the vista of Mdina,” a joint statement by the NGOs read.

PD has called on the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal to allow the NGOs “the right to appeal and not to attempt to further silence civil society.”

“ERA is already a weak institution when compared to the Planning Authority. NGOs and civil society have the right and duty to protect our environment and heritage for the present and future generations,” PD said in a statement. 

The Environment and Planning Review Tribunal is expected to announce a decision on the groups’ right to appeal on Thursday.

PD reiterated its call for a national masterplan before proceeding to erect high-rise buildings.

“Such mega developments on a small island like ours cannot be viewed in isolation especially considering they hold no social purpose but are purely speculative investments by big business,” it said.