The Structure Plan

The Structure Plan for the Maltese Islands is a strategic long term plan for the islands covering the twenty year period to 20101_{. Although it is concerned with all aspects of social, economic and physical structure,}

its basic concern is with land: what should be developed, where, when and how. It is essentially a co- ordinating plan that seeks to accommodate, manage and integrate the development requirements of all Government departments and agencies, the private sector and the community as a whole.

The territory of the Maltese Islands is also divided into seven Local Plan areas and the Planning Authority is in the process of preparing these various Local Plans that will guide and control future development and the use of land. To date, two plans have been finalised (one awaiting Government approval), and two others are in an advanced stage and should be finalised in the coming months. In the meantime the Planning Authority has also finalised two action plans – one for Pembroke and one for Ta’ Qali and is finalising a third (L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha Action Plan) as part of the North West Local Plan.

The Structure Plan includes a wide range of policies designed to channel, encourage and co-ordinate social and economic development. These include:

1. initiatives to encourage social and economic development

2. provisions to ensure that land and infrastructure can accommodate the required growth, and 3. measures to improve the management of financial and land resources.

The 1990 Structure Plan, and the Temporary Provisions Scheme before that, sought to contain the urban sprawl of the 1980s and concentrate development in and around existing urban areas. Outside these areas, development is only allowed for uses that, due to their nature, cause bad neighbourliness and should be located away from built-up areas (e.g. quarries, farms, obnoxious industries, etc.)

2.4.2 Housing

The Structure Plan includes forecasts of the growth of the population, households and jobs up t o 2010. The Plan predicted an increase in the total population living in private households of 11% from 355,000 in 1990 to 394,000 in 2010. However, the population growth is running ahead of the Structure Plan predictions and current forecasts suggest the figure would be closer to 399,000 [source: Structure Plan Monitoring Report 1996-1997 – Planning Authority].

The Structure Plan also estimated that an additional 22,000 new households would be formed by 2010. Again, forecasts now indicate that this figure would be of around 29,000 additional households. This is a total increase of 26% over the period 1990-2010. This increase is partly due to the increase in the number of migrants and foreign residents living in Malta.

As regards housing supply, the Structure Plan estimated a dwelling capacity of 50,000 units in the approved Temporary Provision Schemes. In 1995 this was revised to 60,810 units taking into consideration that the appeal of terraced houses was diminishing and plots of land earmarked as terraced housing were actually being developed into a two-unit building per plot. The figure of 60,810 is based on the assumption that the semi -detached/villa plots identified in the schemes would each provide one dwelling whereas 50% of those identified as terraced houses would be developed to provide one dwelling and the remainder would provide two units per plot.

1 _{The Planning Authority is currently reviewing the Structure Plan. It is expected that the new plan will be}

Figures for the number of applications approved by dwelling type over the period 1993 to 1997 show a clear trend towards an increase in the number of apartment/maisonette buildings and a decrease in terraced houses.

_____________________________________________________________________

Table 2.4.2.1 – Dwelling approval by type (1993 – 1997)

Property type 1993 % 1994 % 1995 % 1996 % 1997 % Apartments 1192 40 1742 42 2146 47 1862 44 1687 48 Maisonnettes 651 22 1219 30 1114 24 1399 33 1091 31 Terraced Houses 1016 34 1014 25 1160 25 748 18 581 17 Semi/Detached 109 4 142 3 195 4 218 5 123 4 Totals 2968 100 4117 100 5615 100 4227 100 3482 100

Source: Dwellings Database, Strategic Planning Unit, Planning Authority

In terms of land availability and housing rate of development, latest figures show that over the four-year period from 1994 to 1998, the rate of housing development amounted to 15.65 ha per year. Obviously, this was not uniform throughout the Islands and in fact the highest housing development occurred in the South of Malta (24 ha or 5.7 ha/year) and the lowest was, as expected, in the Grand Harbour Local Plan Area (0.8ha or 0.2 ha/year). Table 2.4.2.2 below shows a breakdown of the housing land development organised by Local Plan area.

Although the construction industry is an important contributor to the local economy, the scarcity of land on which to build and where to accommodate the various activities which lead to a better quality of life must be taken into consideration in the larger scheme of things. Pressures to release more land for development should therefore be viewed with great caution. This is not only because the release of “virgin” land has an environmental impact but also because it decreases possibilities of recreation, it impacts other vital sectors such as food production, and also diminishes the tourist’s experience of the country.

____________________________________________________________________

Table 2.4.2.2 – Housing development rates by Local Plan

Local Plan Area Housing land developed between 1994-98 (ha)

% of the Total Housing Development Rate (ha/yr) (1994- 1998) Marsaxlokk Bay 2.9757 4.4 0.7 North West 8.0381 12.1 1.9 Grand Harbour 0.8261 1.2 0.2 North Harbours 4.9788 7.5 1.2 Gozo 5.6902 8.5 1.3 South 24.3531 36.7 5.7 Central 19.662 29.6 4.6 Total 66.52 100 15.65

Source: Land Availability Database, Strategic Planning Unit, Planning Authority

Current population and housing estimates coupled with the growing tendency to build at higher densities and a sustained decline in the natural population growth rate, indicate that whilst the current housing land supply (within the existing schemes) can accommodate about 61,000 units, demand would probably not exceed 34,700 dwelling units. In fact, this has been emphasised in the Structure Plan Monitoring Reports issued by the Planning Authority for the periods 1990-1995 and 1996-1997 which further states that current land allocations for housing are likely to suffice for at least the next thirty years.

Hence a special effort needs to be done to diversify the construction industry and to encourage the rehabilitation of the historic urban centres that have experienced a decline in their population. This decline

has resulted in an increase in the number of vacant dwellings and a concomitant decay in the urban fabric of a number of historic buildings, the re -use and rehabilitation of which should be encouraged.

2.4.3 The Historic Environment