Farrugia agrees to suspend high-rise moratorium motion

Independent MP Marlene Farrugia agreed to suspend a motion for a moratorium on high-rise buildings, following assurances by tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis.

Farrugia, the leader of the new Democratic Party, had called for a moratorium on high-rise, pending detailed studies of their impact, following media reports on applications for skyscrapers in and around Paceville.

However, Zammit Lewis said during a House Business Committee meeting that the government already commenced a masterplan on the Paceville area back in December, following Parliament’s approval of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Planning.

“This will be the first ever masterplan, specifically for an urban zone,” he said. “Both the masterplan and the updated local plan for the area will be presented to Parliament’s environment committee both before and after a period of public consultation.

He said that no high-rise planning applications will be processed before the entire process is completed in November, and suggested that Farrugia delay her motion until then.

Farrugia agreed to wait until the presentation of the final version of the masterplan before deciding whether to proceed with her motion for a moratorium or not.

“Nobody who came out in favour of a moratorium is against high-rise per se. We just want things to be carried out on the basis of environmental and economic studies.”

During the committee meeting, Labour and PN whips Godfrey Farrugia and David Agius agreed to debate a long-awaited bill to appoint a commissioner and standing committee on standards and ethics in public life before the summer recess.

Both government and Opposition agreed on the Bill – that will appoint a commissioner to investigate suspicions of ethical breaches by politicians – back in 2013. It passed through the first reading back in May 2014.

The commissioner will be appointed for a five-year tenure and must be approved by two-thirds of MPs.

The House is also set to discuss a Bill that will convert the Lands Department into an authority, announced by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat earlier this year following an audit into the expropriation of half a palazzo from Mark Gaffarena.

It will also discuss a law to safeguard the rights of children in out-of-home care, a law to ease transitions of family businesses, and continue to discuss one to render Parliament more autonomous from government.  

No date for when Parliament will break for summer recess was set.