‘Planning regularisation fees send message that abuse is to be rewarded’

Environmental organisations have warned that a new Planning Authority scheme allowing illegal developments to be regularised against the payment of a fee risked sending the message that abuse would pay off in the long run.

The new scheme, which underwent public consultation last month, allows buildings not covered by a permit to be regularised as long as they do not constitute “an injury to amenity”, such as disturbing neighbours or the environment.

Regularisation takes place according to a new regime of fees, such as €1,500 for a 150-square metre apartment and €4,300 for a penthouse of 100 square metres.

“For a start, they are not needed because the law itself provides for the correction of moderate irregularities,” Astrid Vella from Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar told the Times of Malta

“More importantly, these regular amnesties encourage abuse by giving the message that there will be always be an amnesty down the line. This is very damaging, not only to our urban areas but also to our economy, as it undermines the concept of a level playing field, when one player goes by the book and fulfils all legal requirements, while others take short cuts and are so generously...