Census to identify over 70,000 vacant properties – AD

Addressing an environmental conference organized by the Church Environment Commission yesterday afternoon, AD's spokesman for sustainable development Carmel Cacopardo said vacant property increased by some 20,000 since the last census.

"While the 2005 census identified 53,000 vacant properties, it is estimated the current census would identify a substantial larger number which would be well above 70,000," Cacopardo said. 

He said, the census is intended to aid policy makers by providing information relevant to their decision-making.

"Unfortunately when the 2005 Census was concluded Government ignored the information available," he said.

Cacopardo went on to explain that the 2005 Census had identified that, in the 10 years leading to 2005, vacant properties increased by 17,413.

"Yet government went on to substantially increase land available for development through three specific measures. This was done notwithstanding that there was a large amount of vacant property."

Cacopardo said there were three measures by which additional land was released for development: the extension of the development zones through the rationalisation exercise; the increase in the permissible height of development in various localities; and the relaxation of the height at which a penthouse can be constructed.

A penthouse can now be constructed when the maximum permissible height is three floors. This was previously permissible when the permissible height was four floors. Cacopardo said.

When faced by such a quantity of vacant property, added Cacopardo, it does not make sense to encourage more building construction through a relaxation of land use policy.

"Government's land use planning policy has resulted in more to 70,000 vacant properties," he said. "These are the equivalent to 9 ghost towns each of which is the size of B'Kara."