Carmel Cacopardo

On 26 July 2006 Parliament approved the motion to rationalize the development boundaries. The motion, presented by George Pullicino, then Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs, increased the development zone by an area of two million square metres.

Labour MP Roderick Galdes, then Opposition spokesperson on land use planning, was reported by this newspaper on 25 July 2006 as stating that “everyone was against this exercise except the Honourable Minister (Pullicino) and some contractors”.

The Labour Opposition, in fact, consistently, at that point in time, voted against the proposal which was however approved by 33 votes in favour and 28 votes against. Not only did Labour take a clear stand in parliament, some of its MPs, then joined environmental activists in demonstrations against Outside the Development Zone (ODZ) development.

That, however, was in Opposition. Seven years later, in Government, Labour forgot all its arguments and did its best to milk the ODZ to maximum benefit. There are countless examples attesting to this. I will, today limit myself to just three of the most recent examples.

Last year, after an eight-week public consultation, the provisions regulating greening projects, when these are carried out by government entities, Local Councils and entities appointed by them were substantially diluted. Through Legal Notice 85 of 2025 the Development Notification Order 2016 was amended such that it is now possible to approve such projects applying summary procedures even when these spread into the ODZ.  This was done with the aim of minimizing consultation and ensuring that the procedures whereby environmental NGOs or other objectors draw attention to irregularities which need to be addressed are done away with. This is now generally not possible. Effectively it places the public sector beyond the reach of normal land use planning procedures. Given that this now includes ODZ developments it is extremely worrying.

This was not enough. Two months ago, another consultation exercise sought changes to land use planning policies in order to facilitate the commercialization of sports facilities. Additional changes are being sought in order to facilitate this commercialization when sports facilities are sited ODZ.  Given that a substantial number of sports facilities are outside the development zone this is another worrying development.

Finally, we have Bills 143 and 144 published last summer. In their current state these Bills point land use planning in the direction of the rules of the jungle. The underlying objective is that might is right.

The proposals in Bills 143 and 144 seek to neutralize the submissions presented by the community and civil society relative to development proposals. This is being done through the establishment that submissions have to attain a level of detail which the layman cannot easily achieve. In addition, curtailment of the time-frame for the submission of an appeal will impact the ability of third parties with limited financial power to act.

While ensuring that it is made more difficult to oppose development proposals the Bills seek to make it easier for the developer to sail through. This is achieved through ensuring that the applicable policies are more flexible than ever. In addition, some difficult obstacles are also being removed. In particular an amendment to article 72 of the Development Planning Act specifically removes the environment from the issues which need to be addressed when considering a development proposal.

All this contrasts sharply with Labour’s electoral manifesto dated March 2022, which Manifesto ought to be the guide for the current government’s policies. Minister Zrinzo-Azzopardi is responsible for the implementation of the Electoral Manifesto. I have, to date, not yet heard him comment on this glaring contrast between the Labour Party’s electoral manifesto and government policy!

In fact, policy proposal 336 of the 2022 Labour Party manifesto lays down that Labour in Government will seek to implement strict rules regulating development outside the development zone (ODZ).  Currently land use planning policy is anything but one of strict rules. Slowly, safeguards are being nibbled away. The rules of the jungle have been normalized.

Carmel Cacopardo is ADPD-The Green Party’s Deputy Chairperson

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 19 April 2026