Planning & Housing Legislation and Policy in Malta  

The setting up of an authority to regulate planning in Malta in 1992 ushered in a new era of forward planning and the regulation of development in Malta in all its forms, together with the protection of Malta’s urban cores, scheduled buildings and natural heritage. Malta’ planning law has been subject to many changes on a regular basis over the years and new policies are approved from time to time by the Authority which regulate the development of particular areas and certain categories of development after a process of public consultation. 

Malta’s size and position and its relatively large population, both local and foreign, has presented a serious challenge to its future development, with the Authority being entrusted to sustain and regulate the country’s built environment while concurrently protecting its urban conservation areas, its coastal areas and its natural environment and policing illegal development. This is without doubt the balance with the Authority seeks to strike in fulfilling both its development control and its planning control role.

Planning and Development law in Malta is a core dynamic field that requires rigorous regulation in order to ensure the protection of the developers and general public’s rights and interests while safeguarding the environment.

According to the Environment and Development Planning Act, Chapter 504 of the Laws of Malta, along with other Planning Policies, Guidelines, Circulars and Regulations that regulate the Act in its entirety. This competent authority in Malta in this field is MEPA, the Malta Environment Planning Authority, which was established as per Act 365 of 1992. One of the vital functions of this Authority is to process and issue permits, which are required for any property development ranging from minor changes to applications for full developments.

Valletta Legal possesses the necessary expertise to be able to assist clients at every stage of the planning process, from the pre-application stage all the way to the Court of Appeal. One of its partners, Tanya Sciberras Camilleri, has been a member of both the Authority board and the Planning Appeals Board and has therefore had direct contact with the various facets of the actual process. Over the years, the firm has defended both applicants and objectors to proposed developments, and has made representations on behalf of clients as a reaction to proposed policies or their application. It has also conducted negotiations with the Authority on behalf of clients in connection with various projects and given advice and has worked hand in hand with architects in its dealings with the Authority.