Updated | Chetcuti against plans to scrap need to notify landowners in development applications

Malta Developers’ Association president Sandro Chetcuti has come out strongly against “MEPA plans to scrap the need for people to notify landowners when applying for development on their property”.

Chetcuti told MaltaToday that MEPA has proposed such a change to planning laws, and that the MDA will fight it tooth and nail.

“People have a civil right to be notified when somebody files a development application on their land,” he said.

The current law states that development applicants must certify to MEPA that they are either the owner of the site in question, or that they have notified the owner of their intention to apply and that “the owner has granted his consent to such a proposal”.  While the MEPA demerger draft law has removed the need for landowners to grant their consent, it has maintained the need for developers to notify them when applying.

The Malta Developers Association, in submissions on the law made to the government, objected to this major change, insisting that the obligation to seek the consent of owners must not be removed.


However, Chetcuti insisted that the MDA are actually contesting a proposal to remove the requirement for landowners to be notified. He insisted that he is in favour of maintaining the prerequisite for landowners to verbally grant their consent to application, arguing that developers will seek such consent regardless.

“It’s common sense; developers will inform landowners when applying to develop on their land – rather than spend €200,000 on a development application that the landowner will eventually contest in court.”

However, Chetcuti warned that a potential requirement for developers to obtain landowners’ written consent could run into legal problems, particularly if the land in question is on a property-of-sale agreement.

“It is up to the courts, not MEPA, to verify who has a legal title to land,” he said.

Speaking on Reporter on Monday, Chetcuti said that developers should inform landowners when applying for development permits on their land, but should not be bound into obtaining their prior consent.

“We should encourage innovative business ideas, rather than stifle them in their infancy,” he said.
As an example, he cited how the Lands Department had told medical entrepreneur Josie Muscat to obtain a development permit for his proposed new Zejtun hospital before negotiating with the government over a price for the land, located outside development zones.

Chetcuti reiterated his opposition to the extension of ODZ boundaries, arguing that the MDA had opposed the original construction plans for the ‘American University of Malta’ at Zonqor Point as it “would have taken up too much public land”.

“We either aren’t putting our message clearly enough, or people with an agenda don’t want our message out. We want to rehabilitate ugly places and safeguard beautiful ones, particularly pristine areas in the countryside. Developing our countryside would be sacrilegious to the environment and economy.”

Not one to mince his words though, the MDA president had harsh words for Malta’s crop of environmental NGOs.

“They lack leadership, and should be more constructive in their arguments, rather than simply oppose everything,” he said.

“There are some environmentalists who keep boasting about their green credentials, but then leave infrastructure lying about in the countryside and rubble walls falling to pieces, of danger to passers-by. If I were in charge of Malta’s environmental NGOs, I would not allow shabby land.”

While Chetcuti admitted that “significant antipathy” exists towards the development sector, he claimed that his organisation is willing to listen to everybody’s opinions – “including anti-development organisations like [green party] Alternattiva Demokratika”.

“Divorce and spring hunting were also hot topics, and the voices of those who opposed those issues rang more loudly than those of the people who agreed with them but didn’t make their voices heard.” 

‘The notion of left-wing, right-wing parties is over’

Chetcuti recently made waves when he equated the Labour and Nationalist parties to “two big shops” that give developers and entrepreneurs the opportunity to choose “from whom to buy” the best policies.

When asked by host Saviour Balzan to explain this statement, Chetcuti said that he used that metaphor to explain that the notion of left and right wing parties in Malta is over, with both major parties now having shifted towards the centre.

“God forbid that investment comes to a halt once a new political party is elected,” he said.

Although the Nationalist Party has adopted a pro-environment voice in recent months, Chetcuti rejected suggestions that it has morphed into a green party.

“I recently held a meeting with [Opposition leader] Simon Busuttil, during which he told me that he is all out in favour of sustainable development and honesty,” he said. “While I appreciate honest politics, the insinuation shouldn’t be that MDA members are dishonest. The dishonesty of a few of us shouldn’t reflect badly on the entire sector.”