FAA strongly believes that the time has come to recognise the Maltese people’s rights to access to an unpolluted environment, health and wellbeing. In view of this FAA is proposing the following measures:
1. Constitutionally entrenched protection of the environment. All citizens to be given right of action to sue Government for implementation and enforcement of laws/actions to protect environment and air quality. This right is to be entrenched in Constitution.
2. ODZ or Public Domain Sites to be designated as no-building/no commerce zones in the Constitution.
3. Review and repeal planning laws (limit on tenure of Board members, strip PA CEO of some powers, review DC 15, review Rural Design Policy 2014, review childcare in ODZ policy). Increase the support and capacity of enforcement planning agencies to ensure universal compliance to existing policies as well as true and effective protection of third party rights.
4. All Planning Boards and Appeals Bodies to have 50% of members appointed by civil society and to include Kamra tal-Periti.
5. Freezing of applications more than 10 floors high including those permits which are under appeal before a national master plan is drafted in line with SPED. Designated high rises zones should be further restricted.
6. Air Quality and Traffic: Development applications should not be allowed to worsen the situation created by past permits issued without a corresponding investment in infrastructure to handle resultant traffic. Such intensive developments should be made to pay for infrastructural amelioration. Public transport upgrades coupled with the introduction of nationwide network of safe cycle lanes as well as increased enforcement on vehicles belching emissions abusively.
7. Designate Manoel Island AND White Rocks as public parks.
8. Cap Planning Authority and Planning Tribunal fees for bonafide NGOs.
9. Improve access to Gozo in a way that does not increase cars and pollution in Gozo.
10. Reinstate protection of heritage properties, establish a system of grants to owners of heritage properties and tax exemption/grants to NGOs preserving properties or the environment.