Law Blog

Bill No. 143 of 2025 also introduces two coordinated reforms to the Development Planning Act (Cap. 552): first, a revised definition of the term “owner” in Article 2; and second, refined procedural requirements for submitting development applications under Article 71(4)–(5). Though formally distinct, these two reforms are conceptually interdependent. Together, they ensure that development permissions […]

Bill No. 143 proposes also to amend the Development Planning Act (Chapter 552) by changing the operative date for defining “illegal development” from 1967 to 1978. The law currently provides that: “any works on, in, over or under land, carried out after 1967 and not covered by a development permission issued by an authority related to development” […]

Bill 143 proposes to significantly amend the definition of the “commencement notice” under Chapter 552 of Maltese planning law. Currently, Chapter 552 defines a “commencement notice” as: “a notice submitted by the perit on behalf of the applicant to the Authority at least five (5) days prior to the date of commencement of works or […]

This morning, the Court of Appeal set aside the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal’s dismissal without hearing of the petition brought by Catherine and René Desira. The Desiras, who had leased their Żebbuġ property to a tenant, only became aware in 2024 that four penalty invoices—INV 9898 (30 Nov 2017), INV 10333 (23 Jun 2018), INV 10467 (17 Nov 2018) and INV 10977 (17 Sep 2019)—totaling €14 936 […]

One of the more commented-on proposals in Bill No. 144 of 2025 is the amendment to Article 43 of the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal Act (Cap. 551), which proposes doubling the maximum fine for so-called “frivolous or vexatious” appeals from €2,500 to €5,000. Let us look at the two versions side by side: Current […]