ADPD wants PA to prioritise solar rights over unbridled development

ADPD has called on the Planning Authority to protect and guarantee the solar rights of everyone, prioritising them over the rights of developers.

At a press conference in front of the PA offices on Saturday morning, ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said the PA can contribute towards achieving zero-carbon in construction by prioritising and guaranteeing access to solar rights. “This should supersede other planning ‘rights’, such as that of additional floors on existing buildings."

He said that the increase in permissible building heights had a heavy price-tag on renewable energy. “We are still paying this price and it will be quite some time before we recover from this irresponsible impact.”

Cacopardo added that the shift to electric vehicles will bring about a proportionate increase in energy demand. “If this can be counterbalanced by a substantial increase in renewable energy generation, we would have matched at least in part some of this additional energy demand.”

ADPD secretary-general Ralph Cassar said that climate change remains the greatest challenge of our times and that PL and PN show a lack of understanding on the severity of the issue.

Cassar said that the Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy only lists recommendations meaning that, “the Government wants to always maintain the status quo while dropping the odd incentive.”

"There’s no time for fooling around. Land use planning should address with urgency its impact on climate change by also implementing a strategy of reducing our carbon footprint, among other measures. Unless decisive action is taken soon it can only get worse," concluded Cassar.