PA’s approval of ‘piecemeal’ applications ruining Malta’s urban areas, developers say

The Malta Developers Association (MDA) said on Tuesday will be “lobbying” the Planning Authority to ensure that planning policies are changed in a manner that prevent “piecemeal development”.

In a statement, the MDA made reference to a development in Marsalforn, a photo of which was doing the round on social media over the weekend.

The photo shows an apartment block which appears to consist of a number of separately owned apartments, where one of apartment owners was granted a permit to build an additional floor.

“MDA acknowledged that an eyesore results when these types of permits unfortunately are approved, even though they are in line with current planning policies,” it said in a statement.

“This only results in ruining the entire perspective and design of the original development.”

The MDA said that “in this context” it completely disagrees with “the fact that the Planning Authority does not consider the visual effect on the streetscape when it processes such small, individual permit applications.

These applications, the MDA said, were “continuously running” Malta and Gozo’s urban areas.

“The Association also needs to ensure that additions or changes to the facades of existing developments can be approved only when they apply to a more holistic approach to prevent further uglification of certain localities,’ the MDA said.