Mangion Mangion & Partners, Malta Architects, Civil Engineers and Planning Consultants

MEPA's Local Plans try to transpose the provisions of the Structure Plan to the Local level - but they still need another step in their evolution, this time one step down in the hierarchy. Perit Vincent Magri argues that Local Councils need to prepare their own Locality Plans, a bottom -up approach that will complement the current top-down system.

Since the Planning Authority was set up in 1992, Planning in Malta has come a long way. Then employed with the Planning Authority, I remember our first attempts at formulating today's Local Plans. It was a clear uphill struggle - we had to introduce the concept of Planning in Malta…..and in those times, who needed to plan ahead? This especially applied to public bodies. They were supposed to contribute to the land use strategy for the next 10 years, but instead were very comfortable with a non-planning system which gave them all the "flexibility" they needed in land use terms.

Today, we have the Structure Plan and the Local Plans system in place (even though some of them are desperately crying out for a review). We also have the public, especially through NGOs, who takes the Public Consultation process for granted (as it should be in today's day and age). The environmental agenda has taken an important role in our society. Above all we have a development lobby that acknowledges that it has to act within the Planning framework, even though there are still many cowboys around. This is truly the work of a generation, and perceptions towards Planning have really made a huge turnaround since the early days.

In the meantime, Local Councils have also found their place in the political system and in the administration of their localities. This brings us to the next step in the Planning evolutionary process. Localities need to have their own plans, heavily biased on implementation. The aim should not be to go against the provisions of the Structure Plan and the relative Local Plans, even though these put national needs before local ones. The aim should be to interpret them to the particular local situation, to refine them, and to serve as the spring board for both formulation of land use policy in the future, and for implementation of projects in the particular localities.

Combined with proper management techniques, such Locality Plans will have many advantages and improvements on today's system. This bottom-up approach will revolutionise Public Consultation as we know it today. The meaning of the phrase will change as it will be an empowerment process to the local population. The contribution of Local Councils in the formulation of Local Plans by MEPA will increase enormously. Any conflicts with today's Local Plans will be immediately addressed.

There are many more advantages. Locality Plans will be more specific than current Planning documents. They will be the basis for Local Council feedback to MEPA in relation to development applications. This will bring transparency all the way down in the process. They will form the basis on which MEPA's Local Plans will be formulated. Local Plans will be the medium where top-down central policy meets bottom-up localized aspirations. It will be a merger of ideas.

Not only so, but Locality Plans will make it easier for Local Councils to request funding from Central government or to participate in EU projects. They will also make it easier for central government agencies to understand what the particular Local Councils want to do in their Locality - what their real vision is. It will hence make the approval of Local Council budgets a much smoother process.

Locality Plans will introduce the management aspect that MEPA's Local Plans really lack. We all know that Local Plans do not adequately address implementation. Locality Plans will. They will give more focus to Local Council work and improve the current seemingly ad-hoc decision making process. The result will be a more comprehensive and structured approach. These are the benefits of combining physical planning with business planning.

Finally, Locality Plans will be an opportunity to present continuity when Councillors change, especially if a Mayor of a different political party gets elected.

As the initial Planning process met with much resistance one generation ago, will today's generation do the same or will it show its true mettle to the future generation?

Perit Vincent Magri is specialized in Land Use Planning, having graduated from the University of Malta and the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He has worked in Planning since 1988, both as part of the Planning Directorate in the early days of Planning in Malta and in the Private sector. He currently forms part of the team at Mangion, Mangion and Partners (Architects, Civil Engineers and Planning Consultants) - and can be contacted on vmagri@mmp.com.mt or 21336704.