ADPD: Planning Authority ‘super flexible’ for big developers

It is imperative that planning places people at the centre of decision making and before profit and power, the party stressed on Saturday.

“The key problem with the Planning Authority is that it repeatedly ignores its own planning rules. For this reason, just this week the Appeals Court nullified another two decisions of the PA”, ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said.

In the case of the renewed permit for a 12-storey development in Mistra, not in line with current planning rules, the Court of Appeal has concluded that the residents’ claims were not examined adequately by the Environment Planning Review Tribunal, the party said.

ADPD said that another decision by the Court of Appeal this week has cancelled the permit for a hotel in Mellieha in an area where the local plan forbids it.

“Land use planning is a controversial process in and of itself since it requires decision making. Hence the need for the Planning Authority’s work to be carried out diligently and consistently”, ADPD Deputy Chairperson Sandra Gauci said.

“Unfortunately, the Planning Authority is lacking both. Its board members or its different bodies are not always to blame. Sometimes it is those who appoint them who are responsible.”

Gauci recalled a case where a PA board member was outed for being involved in a real estate agency.

“Whoever would like a serious land use planning process will not make such appointments. How couldn’t they see the crystal clear conflict of interest in this case?”, she asked.