Two-thirds of planning applications received last year decided

The Planning Authority will this year return a profit of €3 million for the first time, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius said. Speaking in Parliament, he said this was the fruit of efficiency and environmentally-friendly measures, as well as of the massive influx of planning applications received last year as a result of the current economic boom. In 2016, the PA received 9,000 applications, of which 6,000 had been decided. Another 1,088 applications were received following the regularisation scheme introduced in the second half of that year. A total 555 of the latter were valid and 146 were decided. The PA was now in a position to return compliance certificates within two days and planning applications within industrial zones within 30. Mr Agius said the €8 million Irrestawra Dahrek (Restore your Home) scheme, also launched last year, had received 800 applications, mainly from the Sliema area. The money for this scheme came from income raised from regularisation. The scheme also received the nod of Shadow Minister Ryan Callus, who called for it to be re-opened as a way to preserve urban areas. Mr Callus was, however, less complimentary of the PA’s annual report and...