Developers landed with hefty planning fees may be given the opportunity to spread payment over two instalments, Planning Parliamentary Secretary Michael Farrugia said yesterday.
The proposal, which Dr Farrugia insisted was not yet cast in stone, would be a further leg up for a construction sector which has already benefited from a significant chop in planning fees.
Malta Environment and Planning Authority fees were slashed by an average of 25 per cent earlier this month, in line with one of the Government’s electoral pledges.
Larger developments stand to benefit most from the cuts, with planning and demolition fees capped at €500,000 and €2,000 respectively.
The Government also wants to fast-track permit processing for developments which adhere to planning policies and guidelines, although Dr Farrugia admitted yesterday that details had yet to be ironed out.
Under the proposals, applications deemed to be in line with local plans and planning policies would only undergo preliminary vetting before being signed off by a case officer.
Potential objectors would be granted a period of time – likely to be the three weeks minimum required by law – to raise any objections, after which the...
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