Planning Authority showcases Malta’s digital future in spatial planning

Executive Chairperson Johann Buttigieg, who presided over the conference, talked about Malta’s two-decade digital transformation. He provided a description of the Authority’s progress since its introduction of the MapServer in 2002 and the full transition to paperless application processing in 2016, positioning the Authority as a leader in the field of digital governance. These are systems that are now central to daily business and are expressions of a longstanding commitment to efficiency, transparency, and public accessibility.

“Digitalisation is not simply an upgrade, it is the very backbone of modern governance,” and drew upon the way the Authority’s work will advance Malta’s Digital Decade Roadmap and national digital strategy.

The theme of innovation was a running thread through the presentations for the day. Dr Nick Land, Esri’s Lead for National Mapping & Cadastre in Europe, kicked off the programme with a glimpse of the burgeoning domain of geomatics and the global transition to an increasingly sophisticated digital mapping infrastructure. Next came Martin Gauk from ESPON, who placed Malta’s work in the wider European context, illustrating the EU’s support for data harmonisation and digital transformation as seen across its member states. Dr Dylan Seychell at the University of Malta delved into the fast-growing role of artificial intelligence in planning and environmental analysis. His research demonstrated how AI can help advance predictive modelling, optimise workflows, and provide planners with novel modes of real-time insight.

A range of the Planning Authority's own in-house developments was also reviewed and presented. Omar Hili, Team Manager of Technical Infrastructures, presented the upgraded GeoMaps platform, a superior interactive mapping environment that aims to give architects and stakeholders more intuitive access to the information they need when making their plans and decisions. Andrea Filiberto Lucas and Dr Elaine Sciberras unveiled the EMBAT initiative, and it was also noted that innovative uses of satellite data and environmental monitoring were recently developed by the PA in collaboration with the University of Malta. Meanwhile, Mariela Dobreva showed improvements to digital document workflows, including streamlined tools for compliance certification. Mariano Debono followed this up with an overview of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure’s progress – a key component of a growing move towards greater data interoperability across government. One highlight was architect Perit Jonathan Mizzi, who gave an insight on digital twins for what the new chapter of spatial planning would be on the horizon. Using real-time simulation and immersive modelling he demonstrated how digital twins can transform the way planners and the public, in general view development proposals, environmental impacts, and longer-term urban scenarios.

These topics were explored further in a panel discussion where Perit Julian Thompson on behalf of the Kamra tal-Periti, Perit Jonathan Mizzi, Dr Dylan Seychell, Dr Nick Land, Mr Martin Gauk, and Ing. Stephen Ferrito, Director of the Planning Authority, were also brought in. The panel emphasized the need for government, academia, and industry to work together in order to ensure that emerging digital tools effectively contribute to better planning and sustainable outcomes from better decisions, with better planning tools in their use.

The conference closed with a speech by Hon. Clint Camilleri, Minister for Gozo and Planning, who congratulated the Authority for their role in digital transformation and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to improve Malta’s digital planning framework.