Government exempts health projects from planning system

Hospital related development in the vicinity of Mater Dei, St Luke's and the Gozo General Hospital has been exempted from the need of seeking any planning permission, either through normal planning process or through a notification order. 

Moreover such development has also been exempted from the Environment Impact Assessment regulations.  This means that the environmental and social impact (like traffic and air quality) of any such development will not be assessed.  It also deprives the public form any say in the planning process.

This measure has been introduced by stealth through a legal notice issued in the absence of any public consultation on August 14 on the eve of the public holiday.

AD deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo interpreted the measure as a way to ensure that the planning authority loses any say on developments near hospitals.

"The government is giving itself the authority of doing whatever it likes and is turning back the clock to the pre 1992 era when government used to issue permits directly".

Similar legislation was introdued by the present government in 2013 to exempt the army from seeking permits. This resulted in the approval of the development of the AFM military base at Haywharf which has been dubbed by many as a monstrousity.

The previous government had also exempted development in the airport from seeking planning full planning permits except for a notification.  The latest legal change comes in the wake of the announced private investment in the health system by Barts medical school.