A number of residents’ associations and the NGO Il-Kollettiv have warned that any review of the local plans must not lead to an increase in development.

They also reiterated their proposals for a comprehensive planning reform.

Noting recent statements by both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, the groups pointed out that a review of the local plans without a suspension of development in the rationalisation zones would effectively lead to more construction.

Besides, the government should tighten up the protection in the local plans and eliminate those loopholes in the secondary legislation such as DC15 which are being abusively used to allow further development and which are leading to a spate of applications for tall buildings on the perimeter of UCAs.

In July, the groups had already sent the prime minister and the minister for planning no less than 13 proposals.

These included: a moratorium of the rationalisation schemes, a suspension of big projects, banning the opening up of new roads in virgin land, enforcing buffer zones around UCAs, and more discussion regarding the reform of DC 15 and of SPED.

They have not received a reply.

The groups include residents associations from Zurrieq, Birzebbuga, Zejtun, Siggiewi, Marsa, Santa Lucija, Mqabba, Safi, Swatar, Marsaxlokk, Marsascala and Sliema.

Wayne Flask for Il-Kollettiv noted that after insisting for a long time that the local plans cannot be changed, the authorities have started to hint that they may be changed and he asks whether the recent developments at St George’s Bay had anything to do with it.

Both political parties have recently expressed a willingness to meet the big developers.