PR 03/16 | Planning Authority’s reply unsatisfactory

The Kamra tal-Periti notes that the Planning Authority’s reply to its press release of the 11th May 2016 enters into a long-winded recount of various meetings held with the Kamra over the past months. However it blatantly fails to comment on the subject of the Kamra’s statement, namely that the revocation of the Development Notification Order (DNO) was carried out without consultation with the Kamra tal-Periti, and this in breach of the Development Planning Act.

The Planning Authority is reminded that, at no point during the meetings held this year did it consult with the Kamra tal-Periti about the intention to revoke the Order in its entirety leaving a legal vacuum in the interim. The Kamra tal-Periti denies having been consulted on the new draft Development Order and on the revocation of the 2007 Order, and reiterates that this is a specific obligation of the Executive Council of the Planning Authority arising from the Development Planning Act.

The Planning Authority also failed to comment on the fact that as of Monday 9th May 2016 it was not accepting new DNO submissions, leaving the profession and the public in the dark as to when and how the new DNO regulations will be promulgated. This means that until such time as the new regulations are in place, certain works which were considered as permitted development under the Order, such as minor internal alterations, cannot be undertaken today since this would constitute illegal development in view of the revocation of the Order which regulated these types of works.

Download KTP Letter to PS Deborah Schembri
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PR 02/16 | Planning Authority in breach of obligation to consult

The Kamra tal‐Periti strongly deplores the fact that the Planning Authority is failing to carry out proper consultation with it on matters relating to planning application procedures.

In particular, it condemns the fact that the Development Notification Order (DNO) of 2007 was unilaterally revoked through Legal Notice 164 of 2016 without any form of prior notice, and this specifically in breach of the provisions of Article 55 of the Development Planning Act which oblige the Executive Council of the Authority to formally consult with the Kamra tal‐Periti.

As a result of this complete disregard for stipulated legal obligations, members of the profession are not in a position to advise their clients in an adequate and informed manner, and this situation has also created a vacuum since the Authority is not currently accepting any new DNO submissions until a new Legal Notice is published to replaced the now defunct Order.

The Kamra tal‐Periti calls on the Government to immediately withdraw the said Legal Notice and to ensure that all provisions of the Development Planning Act are adhered to.

The Kamra tal‐Periti further calls on the Executive Council to consult with the Kamra in a proper manner, not only because it is obliged to do so under the Development Planning Act and under the provisions of the Periti Act, but more importantly because proper and adequate consultation with the profession ensures transparency, which is paramount in the planning process.

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