Government mulling reintroduction of outline permits

Parliamentary secretary Michael Farrugia today gave the strongest hint yet that outline development permits would be reintroduced four years after their removal.

Speaking during a meeting with the Malta Developers Association committee Farrugia said that government would announce up to 100 planning proposals during a consultation meeting over the split of MEPA into two separate entities responsible for planning and the environment.

Michael Farrugia meets MDA • Video: Chris Mangion

Underlining MDA’s proposals for the sector, president Sandro Chetcuti stressed the need to reintroduce the outline development permits which were removed by the previous PN administration when it carried out a MEPA reform in 2010.

“The Outline Permit system should be reintroduced so that there would be no need for the applicant to pay a lot of money before being told that his application had not been accepted,” Chetcuti said.

Each investor needs to be in a position to know where he stands with certainty before he undertakes an investment and the Government
needs to appreciate this if it wants more entrepreneurs to create sustainable projects in the country.

An outline permit is normally considered as fully-fledged permit since it gives applicants a legal expectation that the full permit would be approved without having to carry out all necessary studies.

However, this makes it harder for MEPA to revoke an initial permit, even if it is proved that the decision is in breach of other policies and regulations.
Farrugia said that the reintroduction of outline permits would be among the proposals which government would announce tomorrow, adding that this would be up for discussion.

Stressing that government was and remains “pro-business,” Farrugia warned that government would not tolerate any abuse.
Insisting that through the demerger, the new planning authority would “simplify” planning processes and one of the key proposals was that of setting up a “one stop shop” which would facilitate the application process.

Chetcuti maintained that despite the efforts made over the past year by the new administration, “MDA notes that excessive bureaucracy is still in place and therefore there is the need for government to take its proposals more seriously. Otherwise the sector will continue to face the problems that have bogged it down in recent years.”

He added that if all stakeholders worked conscientiously and if government “will not allow more unnecessary disruption, the MDA’s members can once again be encouraged to increase investment in the country.”

“We will be addressing excessive bureaucracy by proposing a series of measures such as the simplification of commercial permits,” Farrugia said.

Among the list of proposals, Farrugia highlighted efforts to centralise the separate mapping units into one single entity and extend expired permits to March 2015.