PA considering UCA extension in Pietà

The Planning Authority (PA) has begun assessing the boundaries of the Urban Conservation Area (UCA) in Pietà following a request from the Local Council to extend the locality’s UCA.

This assessment has also been extended to the other localities included in the North Harbour Local Plan, which encompasses the entire urban conurbation between Pietà and St Julian’s.

Pietà Mayor Stefano Savo explained to MaltaToday that the extension of the UCA in his locality is essential, particularly because significant landmarks, such as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, are not currently included within its present boundaries.

The Sanctuary is a focal point of the locality, and Savo stresses the importance of preserving the surrounding areas, including the ‘town square’, commonly known as ‘iz-zuntier’, which is central to many local events and plays a pivotal role in the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Savo argued that these areas should be included in the UCA to ensure their protection.

The PA’s assessment could lead to a review of the local plan and, potentially, an extension of the historical areas within the UCA. Such a step would be unprecedented, given that UCA boundaries have not changed since 2006.

UCAs typically encompass town and village cores where stricter planning regulations are enforced, preventing the demolition of older buildings and safeguarding the streetscape from incongruent development.

Property owners in these areas, including first-time buyers, benefit from substantial state incentives.

The Labour Party’s electoral manifesto commits the government to “irrevocably define” UCAs, save for extending them with the “inclusion of new areas” in their boundaries. It also calls for the establishment of a ‘buffer zone’ around UCAs to protect them from nearby developments.

In an interview with MaltaToday, PA Chief Executive Officer Johann Buttigieg expressed “satisfaction” with the Pietà Local Council’s request. He confirmed that the PA’s executive council had instructed the authority’s Planning Directorate to analyse the UCA boundaries across all localities in the North Harbour region. This includes Pietà, Msida, Gżira, Ta’ Xbiex, San Ġwann, Sliema, Swieqi, Pembroke, and St Julian’s.

The goal is to assess whether these boundaries should be reviewed and possibly extended. Buttigieg acknowledged that while some areas worthy of protection had been left out of the UCA in the present local plans, others had been included unnecessarily.

This assessment is part of a broader effort by the PA to refine planning policies through what Johann Buttigieg referred to as “surgical interventions” to be undertaken in the short term before the Authority approves a new Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), which will be followed by new local plans.