Ibda biex, il-principji stabbiliti mill-pjan strategiku, jew kif nafuh ahjar l-iSPED, huma lenti fuq kif jigu applikati l-varji policies sussidjarji li jirregolaw zviluppi partikolari.

Per ezempju, l-Objettiv Tematiku 1.10 tal-iSPED jghid hekk:

‘To manage the available potential space and environmental resources on land and sea sustainably to ensure that socio-economic development needs are met whilst protecting the environment and limiting land take up within the Rural Area by Socio-economic development should ensure that rural areas are not exploited by uses which are not legitimate or necessary….’

Ezempju iehor, l-Oggettiv Rurali 1.7 jghid hekk:

‘To facilitate sustainable rural development and the diversification of activities within the Rural Area to sustain agriculture and safeguard its distinctiveness by Controlling the cumulative effect of rural development…’

Dawn huma objettivi wiesgha li, imbaghad, l-Awtorita’ ta’ l-Ippjanar trid tifli x’jghidu l-policies sussidjarji. Detto questo, hemm numru ta’ sitwazzjonijiet fejn il-policies sussidjarji ma jindirizzawx il-fattispecje tal-kaz sotto skrutinju.

Niehdu bhala ezempju il-kaz ta’ Policy 6.4 tal-RPDG 2014 li titkellem dwar swimming pools fl-ODZ u li dawn jistghu jigu koncessi sakemm ikunu sitwati fil-konfini ta’ ‘legally established residence’.

Infatti, Policy 6.4 taqra hekk:

Permission may be granted for the construction of a swimming pool outside development zone, provided that all of the following criteria are satisfied:

• the proposed pool and any ancillary facilities are located within the curtilage of a legally-established accommodation;

• the proposed pool and any ancillary facilities are of a compatible design and must respect the rural context. Scheduled locations (Class A or Class B Area/Site of Archaeological Importance, and/or Level 1 or 2 Area of Ecological Importance/Site of Scientific Importance) are in principle considered inappropriate locations, unless it can be duly demonstrated through the necessary assessment, that the development does not compromise the site scheduling characteristics;

• within the curtilage of a legally-established accommodation the pool and the deck area shall not exceed a footprint of 75m². In the case of multiple accommodations the said maximum size of 75m2 may be increased up to a maximum of 5m2 per additional accommodation;

• any existing trees and shrubs within the curtilage of the site shall be retained and incorporated as part of a proposed soft landscaping scheme, which shall contain a number of trees and shrubs of at least three different indigenous species, planted in clusters around the pool area; and

• any ancillary facilities shall consist solely of toilets, showers and/or changing rooms, adequately screened and shall not exceed a height of 2.5m and a combined floor space of not more than 6m². The design shall be appropriate to their setting and the use of timber may be considered. Structures such as pump rooms should be located completely underground’.

Meta wiehed jifli sewwa din il-policy, pero, jinduna wara ftit hsieb li ma jinghad xejn dwar x’jigri jekk ir-residenza per se ma tinsabx fl-ODZ. Il-mistoqsija li tqum hawn hija din: F’xenarju fejn il-pool biss li tinsab fl-ODZ u mhux ir-residenza, il-Policy 6.4 tibqa’ ssib sostenn?

Quddiem sitwazzjoni bhal din fejn il- policy hija manifestament siekta ghaliex ma tghid xejn jekk ir-residenza nnifisha tistax tkun f’ODZ jew le, id-decizjoni ghandha tkun fid-diskrezzjoni ta’ min ser jiddeciedi.

B’hekk, ghandu jitqies bizzejjed li l-iswimming pool  tkun tinsab f’ODZ curtilage ta’ residenza u din ta’ l-ahhar tista’ tkun fejn tkun. Naturalment, minix qed nghid li l-kriterji l-ohra tal-Policy 6.4, bhal kobor u l-pozizzjoni tal-pool, jistghu jigu skartati. Lanqas qed nghid li meta d-dar ma tinsabx fl-ODZ, il-kriterju tal- curtilage, ossija ‘the pysical boundary surrounding a building or group of buildings, typically bound by a peripheral wall’, jista’ jigi njorat – il-pjanti iridu jibqaw juru xi forma ta’ estensjoni mad-dar biex il- Policy 6.4 issib riljev. 

B’dak li qed infisser minix qed niftah il-bieb ghal  soluzzjoni li tmur kontra l-interpretazzjoni tal-kelma w intenzjoni espressa ta’ xi ligi, pjan jew policy  jew, inkella, soluzzjoni  tant assurda li tista’ tippreġudika l-applikazzjoni l-aktar korretta u prattika tal-intenzjoni tal-leġislatur.  Ukoll, mhux qed naghti lok ghal diskrezzjoni li tikser is-sens prattiku u morali ta’ dak li raġjonevolment huwa meqjus proporzjonat w aċċettabli. Lanqas qed ninstiga applikazzjoni ta’ xi  eċċezzjoni li ma tinsabx f’liġi, pjan jew policy.

Qieghed biss nalludi li meta l-policy hi siekta, sta ghal min ghandu l-poter jiddeciedi li jadopera d-diskrezzjoni afdata  lilu fl-evalwazzjoni tal-kaz  sakemm ovjament dan ma jikkompromettix dak li mbaghad il-legislatur ikun kiteb iswed fuq l-abjad.