Teaching  development planning legislation to law students at the University of Malta, a responsibility I have undertaken for the last years, is a privilege.

Each year, I gain insights from the dynamics of these lectures and find it irresistible not to modify both the delivery and content, even though the majority of legislation and regulations remain unchanged, with perhaps some notable adjustments in case law.

This is not to imply that this undertaking is without its challenges. Firstly, development planning law is introduced to first-year students in the initial semester when the syllabus, which is quite extensive, must be covered within a single semester. This happens while fundamental concepts of constitutional law, such as the rule of law and separation of powers, are still being taught. Additionally, administrative law, which further elaborates on the role of the executive, is introduced in the subsequent  academic year.

Having said that, I cannot help but appreciate how swiftly the students immersed themselves in the subject and became accustomed to my teaching style, displaying active interest. One effective teaching method I found is to have students respond to  storylines infused with factual and legal errors, and then require them to revert with the correct answers. This approach compels students to work mentally backward to provide the accurate solution, inherently taking some time in the process. This not only ensures the correct understanding of the concepts but also embeds them in the students’ minds.

Meanwhile, I am releasing a short publication titled ‘Leading the Charge in the  Development Planning Law Exam.’ This publication encompasses numerous case studies that extend from the selection and submission of application types once the meaning of ‘development’ within the ambit of Article 70 of the Development Planning Act (DPA) is understood. Notably, it explores the various application processes leading to their determination and examines the remedies available before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal. Additionally, I touch upon the revocation process in terms of Article 80 of the said DPA. The publication also addresses the judicial review of Tribunal decisions before the Court of Appeal in terms of Article 39 of the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal Act.

The publication titled ‘Leading the Charge in the Development Planning Law Exam’ can be found here.