9 minute read
PLANNING DIRECTORATE
Director - Perit Christopher Borg
Introduction
The year 2020 has been a very challenging one since the new Planning Directorate had to shift
most of its operations to a virtual platform within a few days, in light of the pandemic. During
this difficult period, the two divisions within the Planning Directorate experienced an increased
workload, which was dealt with efficiently despite the lack of crucial resources. This success
must be attributed to the efforts and initiatives of both management and staff within the Foreign
Policy Research, EU Affairs and Funding Division, as well as the Strategic and Policy Formulation
Division.
Development Planning Fund
During the year, several initiatives were undertaken and others have also been extended to
2021. With regards to local funding, 17 contracts were issued for projects, that collectively
amount to over €1.4 million. During this same period, 42
payments were effected, which amounted to approximately
€2.3 million. These results are considered to be impressive,
especially when taking into account the adverse impact
of Covid-19, the overhaul of the PA funding procedures in
June 2020 and the Local Council elections in 2019, with the
resultant changes in the Local Councils composition.
17 CONTRACTS ISSUED FOR FUNDING OF LOCAL PROJECTS
The PA funding procedure was overhauled halfway through the year. There were many
changes, including changes to the way partnerships are considered, the proportion of PA funds
allocated for various initiatives, including improved funding allocated to the Green and Blue
Infrastructure (GBI). In most of the latter instances, the financing is allocated at a maximum
rate of 100% of the eligible funds and in one particular case (vertical walls), an additional bonus
of 5% is also allocated. Moreover, in GBI cases, it is contemplated that payments are granted
for studies associated with such schemes and maintenance up until a maximum period of five
(5) years. Additionally, the “Sebbaħ Il-Lokal” scheme was extended by a further 2 years until December 2022, and the capping available to the localities was changed from €5 million to
€7 million. The possibility of “ring fencing” of PA funds was also introduced. All these changes were communicated to all local councils, through presentations conducted on a regional basis.
Significant interest was registered from NGOs after these changes were communicated, and it
is expected that a good number of interesting proposals will be submitted to this effect in 2021.
All the relevant material for PA funding through various schemes, including draft contracts and associated documentation, was prepared by staff working within this division for consideration by the PA’s Development Planning Fund Committee.
In-house Green Transport Scheme
The Division is also responsible for the initiatives regarding sustainable transport (green transport). Before the Covid-19 pandemic featured prominently in the local scene, approximately 25% of the PA’s employees participated in one of the nine initiatives related to sustainable transport operated by the PA. These initiatives were suspended as a result of Covid-19. However, pervasive teleworking adopted by the PA has translated into a different kind of positive impact on the environment.
EU and Multilateral Affairs Unit (EUMA)
During 2020, the EU and Multilateral Affairs Unit (EUMA) successfully coordinated the award of 4 new projects:
• ‘URBACT Healthy Cities’ – a project where health is linked to the spatial planning process,
• PA ICT project supported by DG Reform - a study on the PA’s operational aspect of its ICT
Unit and proposals for change,
• ‘PlacePlan’ - a project funded by the Erasmus+ Program.
The PA, through the Unit, submitted an application for Erasmus+ accreditation, which is currently
being evaluated. EUMA continued to coordinate 11 other projects and closed 3 projects; one on
Smart Cities, Erasmus and the SimwestMed Project
on MSP. In total, during the year, EUMA managed
14 projects with a budget of around €10 million.
Regarding the development of new projects, EUMA
continued to work on the Authority’s priorities of
identifying projects which are to be funded from the
2020-2027 Operational Program. The priority areas
include access to information on planning, digital information and tools, and the built heritage.
EUMA has also been instrumental in coordinating the PA’s position within the EU and United
Nations, including discussions on proposed EU legislation, such as that on the trans-European
network for transport, and on the implementation of EU legislation, including the MSP Directive
and the EU Urban Agenda. Assessments of various other sectoral policy documents were carried
out, to ensure that aspects related to planning are taken into account in other sectors at EU level.
Topics ranged from the Aarhus Convention, environmental noise and the Barcelona Convention.
EUMA has also facilitated staff capacity building for the PA in relation to international affairs,
EUMA 2020 €10 MILLION INVESTMENT
projects completed
through the participation and attendance of related courses and seminars.
Strategic and Policy Formulation Division
Strategic Planning Unit (SPU)
During 2020, the Strategic Planning Unit finalised a Development Brief, a Supplementary
Planning Guidance, a discussion paper and two Partial Local Plan Reviews, while also amending three Local Plans. The Unit also continued processing four other pending Local Plan reviews that had already been initiated.
Following the launch of the SPED review, terms of reference for internal and external studies were
prepared, intended to gather data, identify issues and examine future potential development
scenarios. Concurrently, documentation for the issue of a tender document to commission the required external studies was also prepared. Moreover, as part of the ongoing Development Planning Application Monitoring Programme, this Unit analysed over 12,000 permissions for
development based on which information of development trends is collated for further analysis
and information purposes to assist strategic planning.
Furthermore, the Strategic Planning Unit received 15 planning control applications for changes
to zoning of sites, 13 of which were referred to the Executive Council for its consideration. During the same year, the processing of planning control alignment applications was assigned to the
Unit. In total, the unit received 75 planning control alignment applications, of which 69 were
referred for a decision.
Heritage Planning Unit (HPU)
The Heritage Planning Unit (HPU) is responsible for several tasks emanating directly from
the main planning legislation, as well as its interpretation in subsidiary legislation. The Unit
continued with its function to provide support and advice to the Development Management
Directorate on heritage proposals in minor amendment applications, Development Notification
Order applications and Planning Control applications. The Unit also continued to support the
Compliance and Enforcement Directorate on heritage issues, including the periodic monitoring
of sites.
As part of the Unit’s responsibilities, throughout 2020, the Unit processed over 339 requests for
the exemption of stamp duty on properties in urban conservation areas.
During the year, the Unit started working on the Green Your Building Scheme, which would
eventually be launch in January 2021. This scheme seeks to introduce green infrastructure that
can substantially mitigate the adverse impacts that urbanisation and densely populated areas
have on the environment, resulting in better air quality, water management and biodiversity
The Unit continued to administratively support the three “Irrestawra Darek” schemes which were issued for the period of three (3) successive years. Throughout the year this also included the
carrying out of site inspections to verify that works are in accordance with the required scheme
conditions.
Over the past 3 years, the Planning Authority provided financial assistance, equivalent to €23
million to over 2,080 property owners whose residential property falls within the village cores of
our Islands. This year, the Authority committed a further €3 million to those property owners who,
due to the overwhelming response, missed out on receiving financial assistance in the last edition
and were placed on a ‘waiting list’.
Valletta Marsamxett Grant Scheme
The Planning Authority, in collaboration with the Parliamentary Secretary for European
Funds, launched the 2nd edition of the Valletta Marsamxett Grant Scheme. This scheme is also
administered by HPU and it was decided that for this edition the eligible works will be widened
to include the restoration and maintenance of all timber balconies, apertures, doors and
wrought iron open balconies that are on the façade of the building.
To encourage residents to take up this ‘one-time’ opportunity and help improve the quality of life within this zone, the scheme will fully fund the works associated with the restoration or
replacement of the open or timber balcony. This includes the professional fees of an architect and the costs to hire scaffolding during the works.
The grant scheme of €300,000 was made available only for those properties which are used
as residences. This excludes offices, commercial buildings, non-government organisations or religious buildings. The scheme will close in 2021.
Cultural Heritage in Action
Following an open call for contributions launched in February 2020 by the European Commission,
the HPU submitted the project it had worked on related to the Conservation and Restoration
of Traditional Closed Timber Balconies. Together with another 31 local and regional practices,
HPU’s project was selected to be featured in a European catalogue of good practices. The featured practices are policies, projects, events or organisational structures developed by local
and regional authorities.
In collaboration with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the Authority scheduled a
number of properties and statues during the year. Most notable were 6 medieval chapels, the
neoclassical gardens of Villa Ciantar in Pieta, 33 properties and monuments in Rabat, a palazzino
in Zejtun and the former Gozitan residence of renowned British author Nicholas Monsarrat in
San Lawrenz, Gozo.
Green, Blue, Development Unit (GBDU)
The main business objectives of the GBD Unit are to assist the Planning Authority in fulfilling its
roles and functions in relation to sustainability. In 2021, the unit’s work and deliverables shall be
centred around maritime spatial planning (MSP), coastal zone management, green infrastructure
and fulfilling the PA’s obligation on the public domain legislation. Through GBDU, the PA is
participating in an EU funded project MSP-MED, which started in March 2020. Through this
project, the PA is aligning its current work to improve governance at national level in both policy
formulation and data management for MSP, and exchange experience for wider co-operation with
other Member States. The project is expected to end by 2022. The GBDU also focused attention
on determining the vulnerability of the coastal zone to erosion, preparing recommendations for
integrating coastal erosion in spatial planning policies and assessing development applications
in vulnerable areas. The GBDU acts as the national contact for the implementation of the EU
MSP Directive and the UNEP/MAP ICZM Protocol and in 2020 prepared the 2020 Biennial report
of the ICZM Protocol implementation covering the period 2018-2019.
In the same year, the GBDU co-ordinated an internal working group to prepare draft policy
parallel to this, the GBDU drafted the technical requirements that enable specific funding for
Green Infrastructure within the PA’s Development Planning Fund and similar schemes.
The GBDU aims to mainstream sustainability within the planning framework. This was carried out through various works, including refining the PA’s proposed procedures for the uptake of Social Impact Assessments related to development plans and projects, the provision of technical advice to national positions and policy documents, and the monitoring and auditing of the PA’s work in implementing the provisions of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations. In particular, the GBDU initiated an inhouse desk study to identify how the environmental concerns, as raised by the EIA of projects, have been taken up during the decision-making process. The unit has also been monitoring the contractual deliverables for the SEA and AA of the Solar Farms Policy.
The GBDU concluded the review of the 2017 Annual report on Public Domain. In the first quarter
of 2020 it supported the public consultation and subsequently concluded the 2018 and 2019
Annual reports, which were approved by the PA and forwarded to the Minister responsible for
Lands as per the legal requirement.
