‘ODZ policy should be shelved’ – Din l-Art Helwa

The ODZ policy should be shelved until further information and studies on the current situation and requirements in the countryside are put forward for evaluation and discussion, Din l-Art Helwa (DLH) said.

Without this assessment, the entire document is "premature and superficial," the NGO said.

In its submissions to MEPA on the Draft Outside Development Zone policy and design guidance, the NGO said that the planning document has been put forward in an "information vacuum, without any supporting studies and assessments."

"This is an example of piecemeal planning without any strategic or long-term vision whatsoever. The main emphasis of this document is clearly on establishing ways to permit and construction in ODZ areas, and not the protection of the countryside," DLH added.

The environmental organization which will be among the NGO participating in tomorrow environment protest in Valletta, insisted that the proposed ODZ policy "makes absolutely no attempt to ensure that development is sustainable. The idea of sustainability is hardly even mentioned, let alone assessed, throughout the entire document."

The ODZ policy must safeguard and protect the rural environment as a precious resource, and counteract the urban sprawl into the countryside, DLH said.

"More emphasis must be placed on the protection of rural landscapes, ecosystems and biodiversity. Malta's ODZ policy should highlight the conservation and restoration of all natural habitats in the countryside, and safeguard them against pressures from development."