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PR 10/26 | Kamra tal-Periti and the Order of Architects of Rome sign memorandum of understanding on World Architecture Day

The Kamra tal-Periti and the Ordine degli Architetti Pianificatori Paesaggisti e Conservatori di Roma e Provincia (OAR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Rome today, 5th October 2026, marking the beginning of a formal collaboration between the two professional institutions. This historic agreement signed on World Architecture Day, underlines the shared commitment of both organisations to promote architecture as a matter of public interest and as a driver of sustainable and inclusive development.

The Memorandum was signed by Perit André Pizzuto, President of the Kamra tal-Periti, and Arch. Christian Rocchi, President of the Roman Order. The Kamra tal-Periti was represented in Rome by President Perit André Pizzuto and Treasurer Perit Ivynne Grixti, following an invitation by OAR.

The agreement establishes a framework for institutional and cultural cooperation between the two organisations, recognising the unique relationship that both Valletta and Rome share as historic urban centres characterised by rich cultural heritage and the ongoing challenge of balancing conservation with contemporary development. The Memorandum identifies a number of common areas of interest, including heritage and contemporary architecture, urban regeneration, environmental sustainability, the quality of public spaces, and the social role of the architectural profession.

Through this collaboration, the two institutions intend to facilitate the exchange of professional experience, knowledge and good practice, strengthen dialogue between European architectural cultures, promote research and innovation, and enhance cooperation between professional bodies. The agreement also reflects a shared understanding that architecture plays a central role in improving quality of life, supporting social cohesion and contributing to sustainable development.

During their visit to Rome, Perit Pizzuto and Perit Grixti participated in the closing events of the Rome Architecture Festival at the Casa dell’Architettura, the institutional headquarters of OAR. They also attended an institutional meeting with President Christian Rocchi, Councillor Arch. Simone Cellitti, and members of the Order’s Internationalisation Committee, including Arch. Rosaria Ippolito, where discussions focused on future opportunities for cooperation between the Maltese and Roman professional communities.

The Kamra tal-Periti believes that international collaboration is increasingly important in addressing shared challenges related to cultural heritage, climate resilience, urban transformation and professional development and that the partnership with OAR will create a platform for future exchanges, joint initiatives and mutual learning between architects and built environment professionals in Malta and Italy.

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PR 09/26 | Kamra tal-Periti calls on PA Executive Chairman to address conflict of interest

The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti has been closely monitoring the media reports affecting the Planning Authority’s Executive Chairman, Mr Johann Buttigieg, and the public debate that ensued.

In keeping with its long-standing modus operandi of being cautious and judicious when making public statements, over the past weeks the Council undertook a thorough examination of the publicly available facts as they emerged and sought direct clarifications from Government officials where necessary to be able to reach its own independent conclusions without undue haste.

The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti is particularly concerned by the revelation that Mr Buttigieg is a director of a company set up to provide consultancy services relating to planning and architecture while concurrently occupying the post of Executive Chairman of the Planning Authority.

While welcoming Minister Jonathan Attard’s statement that Mr Buttigieg did indeed declare this company to the Government as well as his ongoing contractual obligations with the Water Services Corporation related to GIS data-inputting – an activity that has no bearing whatsoever on the Planning Authority – prior to his appointment, as well as Minister Attard’s assurances that said company currently has no other clients, the Kamra tal-Periti nevertheless submits that these assurances do not fully resolve the public perception of conflict of interest arising from Mr Buttigieg’s ongoing involvement in this company while concurrently occupying his public role.

In view of the above, the Kamra calls on Mr Buttigieg to resolve this perceived conflict of interest by choosing which of the two positions he wishes to retain as soon as possible.

The Kamra further calls on the Government to ensure that there are no other similar situations that have not been disclosed to the public, particularly in relation to regulators of the construction and real estate industries which have been afflicted for far too long with a negative public perception and general resentment.

 

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PR 08/26 | Kamra tal-Periti concludes professional conduct proceedings concerning the Bartolott Crypt, St John’s Co-Cathedral

The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti has concluded professional conduct proceedings opened in connection with restoration works carried out at the Bartolott Crypt, St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The Council opened the case on its own initiative (ex officio) in January 2025, following a report published by The Shift News on 18th January 2025, headlined “New floor caves in as St John’s Co-Cathedral project in collapse“, which alleged that a newly installed raised floor within the Crypt had caved in and caused severe damage to the historic resting place of approximately 600 Knights of the Order of St John. Given the seriousness of the allegations and the cultural and historical significance of the site, the Council undertook a thorough investigation.

Over the course of eight hearings held between April 2025 and June 2026, the Council gathered sworn testimony from the periti involved, the project’s archaeological monitor, the main contractor, and the CEO of the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, together with an extensive body of correspondence, technical documentation, and photographic evidence.

The Council’s determination was made personally against Perit Danica Cachia Mifsud and Perit Konrad Buhagiar of AP Valletta, who held direct professional responsibility for the works in question. Having examined all the evidence, the Council found that:

  • there was no evidence that the Bartolott Crypt floor collapsed, or that any damage was caused to the Crypt or the burial chambers beneath it;
  • the localised movement observed in the historic stone paving arose from pre-existing conditions documented as far back as 2014, predating the respondents’ involvement by roughly a decade, and not from any act or omission on their part;
  • the matter was identified, reported, and remediated diligently and transparently, in consultation with and with the approval of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage at every stage.

On this basis, the Council found both respondents not to have been in breach of any of the four grounds for professional misconduct under the Periti Act, by a unanimous vote of 8–0 with no abstentions, and no disciplinary sanction was imposed. The Council’s decision further records its concern that The Shift’s reporting on this matter was materially misguided.

The Council has decided to publish this decision in full, departing from its usual practice of confidentiality in cases resulting in no finding of misconduct, for two reasons: first, because the allegations giving rise to this case were already in the public domain, having originated in The Shift’s reporting; and second, because of the national and international public and cultural interest attaching to Valletta as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Read full Professional Conduct Decision

 

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Photo source: https://timesofmalta.com/article/preservation-of-st-johns-co-cathedral.581730

 

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PR 07/26 | Kamra tal-Periti Meets Partit Nazzjonalista Leadership to Discuss Building Regulations and Planning Reforms

A delegation from the Kamra tal-Periti, led by President Perit André Pizzuto, on Thursday met with the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Dr Alex Borg, and the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Employment, Hon. Perit Julian Borg, at the Partit Nazzjonalista Headquarters to discuss the Kamra’s work and proposals for strategic reforms within the construction and planning sectors.

During the meeting, the Kamra briefed the Opposition delegation on the progress of the new national building codes. The delegation also presented its vision for a re-engineered planning framework aimed at streamlining approval processes and elevating architectural standards through proposed Design Review Panels. Additionally, discussions addressed proposed legislative amendments to the Periti Act to strengthen disciplinary mechanisms, and resolve ongoing challenges regarding professional indemnity insurance cover.

The Kamra tal-Periti reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining open communication with all political stakeholders to ensure the implementation of effective, quality-driven reforms across the built environment.

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Photo credit: Partit Nazzjonalista

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CIR 06/26 | Guidance on the use of the recently launched Land Registration System (LRS)

As many of you will be aware following our previous circular, the Land Registry Agency (LRA) launched its new digital platform for the acquisition of site plans and the submission of Form E requests.

Unfortunately, the launch was somewhat rushed, with little opportunity for thorough explanations for members of the profession to understand the functionalities of the new system, and to continue to ensure high standards in the preparation of relative official documentation.

This circular is intended to provide advice on how to proceed in the short term, together with some contextual information we did not provide thus far.

 

Background

The digitalisation of the Land Registry system has been in the works since 2019. Indeed, various representatives of the Kamra, including members of the Council and the Policy Committee on Property, have been attending meetings with senior officials at the Land Registry Department and, later, the Land Registry Agency, at very preliminary stages right until a few days before the formal launch.

One of the main features of the proposed system was that periti would be able to plot “polygons” representing the boundary of a property subject to a deed. Such polygons would be drawn using a mouse and snap to lines on the basemaps.

While welcoming the digitalisation process, KTP representatives have always expressed deep reservations about snapping to basemaps that were infamously inaccurate. Regardless, basemaps can never provide the level of accuracy that has become expected of periti in recent years.

The Kamra’s solution has been to provide either, or ideally both, of the following options:

  1. Keying in georeferenced coordinates of points to indicate the site boundary into the Land Registry platform;
  2. Uploading polygons drawn on CAD in DXF format, preferably georeferenced, or alternatively having the possibility of controlling the position of the uploaded DXF polygon relative to a corner on the basemap.

Unfortunately, by the time the system went live, neither of these options had been programmed into the software.

However, the LRA provided a third option: the download of site plans in PDF format, against payment, for periti to annotate using their software of choice, as they currently do with Planning Authority site plans. LRA site plans can be printed with digital markings applied by periti and authenticated in wet ink.

Alternatively, they can continue marking them by hand in ink as they have always done thus far.

The watermarking of site plans will no longer be required.

It is pertinent to underscore that, due to contractual deadlines, the previous website through which the LRA sold site plans needed to be shut down on Wednesday, 5th August 2026.

It was thus imperative that a compromise on an alternative solution was found.

The Council noted that the ability to acquire site plans in PDF format, rather than having physical plans mailed by post, and the possibility to mark them digitally, ensured that:

  1. Periti could provide their services far more efficiently;
  2. The precision and presentation of annotations and markings on site plans would be significantly improved;
  3. The same digital site plan can be reused for various deeds, reducing costs.

It is on these grounds that, following a detailed presentation by LRA management to the Council, the latter agreed to support the transition to the new Land Registry System (LRS).

 

Professional Practice Recommendations

Please find below the Council’s recommendations pursuant to the newly launched LRS:

  1. Members of the profession are advised NOT to mark polygons on the online system for the purposes of preparing site plans intended for the registration of deeds, due to the risk of imprecisions and overlaps, until the Kamra’s recommendations discussed above are introduced by the LRA.
  2. Periti may choose to prepare physical site plans as outlined above, or proceed with the preparation of polygons for the purposes of Form E applications typically submitted by notaries, since the level of precision in such exercises is not as important. Periti may wish to note that this will replace the commonly adopted practice of annotating site plans as “Not for registration purposes” or other such similar annotations, when the site plans are created solely for the purpose of notarial searches.

 

Acquiring a site plan

Site plans can be acquired by zooming in on the plot of land to be registered, and clicking on the burger menu at the top-right corner of the map, as shown in Figure 1.

 

 

Periti can then select their preferred scale from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. The scale printed on the right side of the site plan will remain 1:2,500 as per usual.

 

Information session

The Kamra tal-Periti is in discussions with the LRA to hold a training session for periti in early September, to go through the full functionalities of the new LRS, as well as the launch of new guidance on the preparation of Land Registry site plans — including in apartment blocks and complexes — which is being drafted in consultation with the Kamra.

 

Bugs in current version of LRS

Following the launch of the LRS last week, the Council has received feedback from various members of the profession highlighting bugs they came across when using the software. These included:

  1. A serious GDPR flaw when trying to virtually add office members, with personal data of everyone registered on the system accessible;
  2. Missing periti on the platform;
  3. Inability to add non-periti to virtual LRS offices.

We are aware that the LRA is working round the clock to resolve these matters, some of which may have already been addressed by the time you read this circular.

If you identify any other bugs in the software, please contact us at [email protected] or through the Periti Discussion Group on Facebook.

 

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CIR 05/26 | Launch of the Land Registration Agency’s new information system (LRS)

Following several months of discussions and consultation between Kamra tal-Periti and the Land Registration Agency (LRA), we are pleased to inform members that the LRA will be launching the Official Searches Module and the Site Plan Module forming part of its new Land Registration System (LRS) on the 5th of August 2026.

The new system will enable Periti to order and download site plans digitally, plot boundaries online, and submit Form E requests electronically through the LRS portal. Old site plans issued under the previous system will continue to be accepted until the 6th of November 2026.

Members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the attached communication and to begin making use of the new system from the launch date.

Kamra tal-Periti remains committed to supporting members throughout this transition. Should there be sufficient interest or need, the Kamra will coordinate training sessions and information meetings to assist members in becoming acquainted with the new procedures.

 

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LRA communication and samples
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PR 06/26 | Nominations open for the 2026 Edition of the Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia

The Kamra tal-Periti and the Planning Authority have officially launched the 2026 edition of the Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia, Malta’s national architecture awards. Nominations are now open through www.premjugalizia.org, celebrating excellence in architecture, planning, urban design, engineering, conservation, and the wider built environment.

This year’s edition marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the awards scheme, with the Kamra tal-Periti and the Planning Authority joining forces for the first time to co-organise the event. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to promoting quality in Malta’s built environment and fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and responsibility in shaping our towns, cities, and landscapes.

Named after Emanuele Luigi Galizia, one of Malta’s most influential architects and civil engineers, the awards seek to recognise projects that demonstrate outstanding quality, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a positive contribution to society. Inspired by Galizia’s legacy of rigorous attention to detail, civic responsibility, and holistic thinking, the awards continue to champion projects that respond thoughtfully to contemporary challenges while shaping a more sustainable future.

The Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia places particular emphasis on teamwork. Nominations must be submitted on behalf of the complete project team, recognising the collective contribution of clients, architects, planners, engineers, conservation specialists, interior designers, project managers, contractors, and other professionals involved in delivering successful projects.

Speaking on the opening of nominations, Kamra tal-Periti President André Pizzuto highlighted the motivations behind establishing the awards scheme in 2018: “Architecture in Malta deserved to be recognised for its moments of excellence, which are regretfully overshadowed by controversy and resentment. Premju Galizia is one of a series of collaborative initiatives that the Kamra and the Planning Authority are now working on together. Among the most important is one we hope to conclude soon: Malta’s first National Architecture Policy — a transformative strategy for uplifting the quality of architecture across our islands.”

PA Executive Chairman Johann Buttigieg emphasised “the sense of duty the profession should uphold toward our country’s built and environmental heritage” that this collaboration seeks to promote, thereby ensuring that quality, responsibility, and vision in Malta’s built environment become a national ambition. Mr Buttigieg expressed his hope that Premju Galizia would not simply be just another awards ceremony, but a true reward for the commitment to quality.

This year’s programme will continue to showcase projects that address Malta’s evolving realities, including the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, housing and density, public spaces, hospitality, infrastructure, conservation, and urban regeneration. The awards aim to stimulate discussion about the future direction of Malta’s built environment while highlighting examples of best practice across the sector.

The collaboration with the Planning Authority strengthens the awards’ role as a national platform for celebrating excellence and encouraging higher standards in the design, planning, and stewardship of the built environment. It also reflects ongoing efforts to promote a more holistic, people-centred, and sustainable approach to development throughout Malta and Gozo.

Further details regarding eligibility, award categories, submission requirements, and key dates are available at www.premjugalizia.org. All entries must be submitted to the Kamra tal-Periti by 18 September 2026 at 23:59 hrs.

The Planning Authority and the Kamra tal-Periti encourage professionals, organisations, students, and project teams to participate in this year’s awards and help showcase the quality, innovation, and talent that continue to shape Malta’s built environment.

Visit the Premju Galizia website
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CIR 04/26 | Construction Industry Skill Card Update

This circular serves as an update to Circular 01/2026 issued on 26th March 2026 concerning the purported requirement for periti to hold a register for a skill card.

Members will recall that on 24th March 2026 the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) was contacting periti via email indicating that they are legally required to possess a skill card to enter a construction site as from January 2027.

Circular CIR 01/2026 clarified that no such regulatory requirement exists since the regulations regarding the construction industry skills cards are still being finalised and have thus not been brought into force.

The National Building Council (NBC), composed of Kamra tal-Periti and Malta Development Association, requested an urgent meeting with the BCA to seek clarifications on the skill card scheme to ensure that there is broad consensus on the legal text and adequate time for the industry to prepare itself, particularly in view of the envisaged timeframes. The absence of published regulations was not only creating uncertainty, but making it challenging for compliant course curricula to be developed and accredited in time. Indeed, while the regulator’s intent is for the course to reach EQF Level 2, many courses claiming to be providing the necessary training for the attainment of the skill card have only achieved an EQF Level 1 accreditation.

The NBC met with the BCA on 7th May 2026 during which the above concerns were raised. In particular, the NBC emphasised that periti, whose training reaches a minimum of EQF Level 7, should not be subjected to the same regime as unskilled labourers.

The Council welcomes initiatives aimed at improving health and safety awareness and competence within the construction industry. However, the Perit profession is already regulated under a statutory warrant system, which requires advanced academic qualifications, supervised professional training, and compliance with a dedicated legal and regulatory framework.

Moroever, the new Periti Act envisages the introduction of mandatory continuous professional development governed by the Kamra tal-Periti. During the AGM of 2024, former council member Perit Dr Rebecca Dalli Gonzi had given a thorough presentation of the CPD framework the Kamra is working on, which will include health and safety and risk management as core subjects.

During the May meeting, BCA CEO Perit Roderick Bonnici agreed that periti should not be required to participate in any training courses to attain a skill card given that they are in possession of relevant academic and professional qualifications that exceed EQF Level 2, and that the draft regulations will reflect this.

The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti eagerly awaits being given a draft of the regulations when they are written to be able to also guide members of the profession on the status of non-warranted technical staff who undertake site-work.

 

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CIR 03/26 | Repeal of original Sanitary Regulations

The Kamra tal-Periti wishes to bring to the attention of all periti that the original sanitary regulations forming part of the Code of Police Laws were repealed through Legal Notice 99 of 2026.

The repeal brings to an end the legal uncertainty brought about when S.L.552.22 – Development Planning (Health and Sanitary) Regulations – were brought into force on 10th June 2016 without concurrently deleting the relative provisions in the Code of Police Laws.

The repealed sections of the Code of Police Laws through the aforementioned legal notice concerned (see end of circular – print version for full repealed legal text):

  • minimum internal clear heights [Art 97.1(d)];
  • provision of natural light and ventilation requirement, including passive vents [Art 97.1(e)];
  • street-width-to-building-height ratios [Art 97.1(l)];
  • backyard and internal yard dimensions [Art 97.1(n)(i) – (n)(iv)];
  • requirement to file for permission from the Superintendent of Public Health prior to carrying out works [Art 97.1(o)(iv)];
  • use of artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation (Art 99);
  • use of basements for habitation (Art 107 & 108);
  • formation of ventilation shafts in pavements to ventilate cellars (Art 109);
  • sanitary licensing requirements for the occupation of apartment blocks (Art 110);
  • overcrowding parameters (Art 112);
  • restriction on letting overcrowded units (Art 113);
  • exemption from observance of sanitary regulations for agricultural or husbandry facilities.

Periti are to note that this legal notice will not bring about any practical changes other than to provide legal certainty to professionals and their clients on which laws and regulations are applicable in the design of buildings.

Repealed Text from Cap 10 in the print version

 

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PR 05/26 | KTP and CoE renew Inginiera Malta collaboration

 

On the 4th of June 2026, the Kamra tal-Periti (KTP) and the Chamber of Engineers (CoE) formally renewed their collaboration agreement for the Inġiniera Malta Joint Committee, reinforcing their shared commitment to representing Malta’s engineering professions at European level.

The signing ceremony took place between CoE President Dr Inġ. Bonnie Attard and KTP President Perit Andre Pizzuto, in the presence of their respective International Affairs representatives, Inġ. Ryan Grixti and Perit Dr Jeanette Muñoz Abela.

The Inġiniera Malta Joint Committee serves as the official joint Committee representing both organisations within Engineers Europe (formerly known as FEANI), the leading pan-European federation representing the engineering profession across more than 30 countries. Engineers Europe plays a key role in promoting high professional standards, enabling mobility within the profession, and advancing engineering competence across the continent.

Through this framework, the Joint Committee also supports the administration and promotion of the EUR ING certification, a prestigious Europe-wide professional certification that recognises an engineer’s competence and facilitates the mutual recognition of professional qualifications across borders.

Following the formal signing, the Chamber of Engineers and Kamra tal-Periti jointly hosted an information session for members, focusing on the significance of the EUR ING certification, its benefits, and its role in enhancing professional mobility and recognition within the European engineering sector.

The renewed agreement strengthens ongoing collaboration between the two organisations, including increased coordination and cross-promotion of initiatives that benefit both professions and contribute to the broader development of Malta’s engineering community.

The Chamber of Engineers and Kamra tal-Periti expressed their enthusiasm for continued collaboration through the Inġiniera Malta Joint Committee, with a shared vision of strengthening Malta’s voice within the European engineering and professional landscape and advancing professional standards, fostering knowledge exchange, and supporting Malta’s continued development.

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