Alternattiva Demokratika considers that MEPA’s Tall building policy which identifies localities and the permissible parameters for the development of buildings considered as tall buildings (higher than 10 floors) as well as buildings of medium height (up to ten floors in height) should have been subjected to a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA).

This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo, AD Deputy Chairperson and Spokesperson on Sustainable Development and Home Affairs. He said: “Whilst it is acknowledged that the said Planning Policy Guide identifies a number of suitable design parameters which should guide the assessment of applications for this type of development, AD notes that this policy has not been subjected to a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) such that its environmental impacts are identified and acted upon. This, in the opinion of AD, may put into question the validity of the final policy document published by MEPA.”

AD, continued Cacopardo “acknowledges that the applicability of this policy document will be mostly directed at the regeneration of sites containing dilapidated or under-utilised properties which lie outside the historic cores and UCAs as well as outside Residential Priority Areas. However the designated areas to which this policy will be applied are too vast, a fact acknowledged by the policy document itself when stating that additional studies are required relevant to the identified sites.”

Cacopardo continued by stating that whilst the MEPA policy guideline identifies the studies that will be required in accessing applications for the development of tall and medium buildings, most of these studies, including environmental studies and strict criteria against shadowing of residential properties, should have been applied prior to the determination of the policy document. As a result a number of the localities identified as designated areas would not have been included.”

Cacopardo concluded: “AD considers that the policy document should have been more restrictive by limiting the development of tall and medium buildings to those zones requiring regeneration. This would have be an incentive for the building industry to mop-up and re-develop substandard and dilapidated properties outside Urban Conservation Areas.”

…

Alternattiva Demokratika hi tal-fehma li d-dokument tal-MEPA dwar il-bini għoli li jidentifika l-lokalitajiet u l-parametri permissibbli għall-izvilupp ta’ bini gholi (iktar minn ghaxar sulari) kif ukoll ta’ bini ta’ għoli medju (sa gholi ta’ għaxar sulari) kellu jkun soġġett għal stima ambjentali strateġika (SEA).

Dan intqal minn Carmel Cacopardo Deputat Chairperson u Kelliemi għall Iżvilupp Sostenibbli u l-Intern ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika. Huwa qal : “Waqt li AD tirrikonoxxi li din il-gwida tal-ippjanar tidentifika parametri validi ta’ diżinn li ghandhom iwasslu biex ikunu ivvalutati l-applikazzjonijiet sottomessi għal dan it-tip ta’ żvilupp, Alternattiva Demokratika tinnota li dan ma kienx soġġett għal stima ambjentali strateġika (SEA) b’mod li l-impatti ambjentali jkunu identifikati u indirizzati. Fil-fehma ta’ AD dan joħloq punt interrogattiv dwar il-validita’ tad-dokument ippubblikat mill-MEPA.”

Alternattiva Demokratika, kompla jgħid Cacopardo, “tirrikonoxxi li l-applikabilita ta’ din il-gwida hi direzzjonata b’mod partikolari lejn ir-riġenerazzjoni ta’ siti b’bini dilapidat jew propjeta’ li mhiex użata bizzejjed jew b’mod adegwat u dan barra miz-zoni storici, barra miz-zoni ta’ konservazzjoni urbana (UCAs), kif ukoll barra miz-zoni għal prijorita’ residenzjali. Imma iz-zoni identifikati huma vasti wisq, fatt rikonoxxut mid-dokument innifsu meta jgħid illi ser ikunu meħtiega studji addizzjonali għas-siti eventwalment identifikati.”

Carmel Cacopardo żied jgħid li filwaqt li l-gwida tal-MEPA tidentifika l-istudji li ser ikunu meħtiega biex jiġu eżaminati l-applikazzjonijiet għall-iżvilupp ta’ bini għoli jew ta’ għoli medju, l-parti l-kbira minn dawn l-istudji, inkluż studji ambjentali u kriterji stretti kontra l-ħolqien ta’ dellijiet fuq propjeta’ residenzjali, kellhom ikunu applikati qabel ma ttieħdu d-deċiżjonijiiet dwar il-gwida tal-MEPA. Bħala riżultat in-numru ta’ lokalitajiet identifikati bħala zoni deżinjati kienu jkunu esklużi.”

Carmel Cacopardo ikkonkluda : “AD tikkonsidra illi d-dokument tal-MEPA kellu jkun iktar restrittiv billi jillimita l-iżvilupp ta’ bini għoli jew ta’ għoli medju għal dawk iz-zoni li jeħtieġu riġenerazzjoni. Dan kien ikun ta’ inċentiv għall-industrija tal-bini biex tassorbi u tiżviluppa mill-ġdid bini li għamel żmienu kif ukoll bini ta’ kwalita’ inferjuri sitwat barra miz-Zoni ta’ Konservazzjoni Urbana (UCAs).”