Planning reforms are being delayed to avoid election backlash – Il-Kollettiv

A coalition of resident groups has accused the government of deliberately stalling controversial planning law reforms to avoid public scrutiny ahead of the next election.

In a statement, Il-Kollettiv said the process surrounding Bills 143 and 144 had effectively ground to a halt despite repeated assurances from Prime Minister Robert Abela that revised drafts would be issued.

Secretary Wayne Flask said five weeks had passed since the latest promise to publish amendments, while the group’s last formal meeting with the planning reform committee took place in November.

“It is now evident that the Prime Minister is doing his best to avoid this issue from surfacing in the media again until after the election,” Flask said.

Flask criticised the government’s references to “legal uncertainties” in planning appeals, arguing this echoed the position of the Malta Developers Association rather than court realities.

He said residents only pursue court action when they have strong legal grounds, claiming that appeals filed by residents are regularly upheld. According to the group, the real problem lies with decisions taken by the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT), which Flask described as structurally compromised.

He pointed to the tribunal’s leadership under Joseph Borg, noting that Borg is also an employee of the Planning Authority. Flask argued that this creates an inherent conflict of interest when the tribunal is reviewing decisions taken by the same authority.

He cited a recent court ruling on the Halland building in Swieqi, which he said found the tribunal had acted arbitrarily.

Il-Kollettiv maintains that Bills 143 and 144 would weaken residents’ democratic rights by placing planning policies above local plans and the Planning Act itself. The group referred to ongoing disputes in Mellieħa and Rabat as examples of what it described as shifting goalposts in favour of developers, including cases involving last-minute policy amendments and construction in outside development zone (ODZ) areas.

Flask said the group is not opposed to introducing a nine-month timeframe to conclude legal proceedings, arguing that prolonged delays do not serve residents either. However, he questioned what developers stand to gain from the proposed reforms beyond limiting opposition.

The statement links the proposed laws to broader public frustration over construction, overpopulation and traffic, warning that the reforms could become a major electoral issue affecting daily life in towns and villages.

Il-Kollettiv called for stronger attention from media and civil society, saying public focus on the bills has been diluted by other political distractions. The statement was endorsed by resident groups from Marsaskala, Mellieħa, Qrendi, Sliema, Valletta, Żurrieq and Żejtun.