PA initiates process to clarify interpretation of building height limitations

The Planning Authority (PA) said Monday it has started the process to revise policy P35, which is a specific policy introduced in November 2015 through the Development Control Design Policy, Guidance and Standards (DC15).

The purpose of this revision is to give a clearer and more consistent understanding of the height and allowable number of levels for all the ranges of street facade, outside villa/bungalow areas. This will ensure more certainty and eliminate inconsistencies that may arise from different interpretations of this policy. DC15 especially with the introduction of policy P35 heralded a change in development management.

The policy stipulated that the control of building heights in urban areas should be based only through the numerical dimension of an overall height, and a façade height, in metres. This necessitated the introduction of Annex 2, in support of policy P35, to enable the conversion of the building height limitations in number of floors in the approved Local Plans into overall heights in metres.

The Planning Authority is publishing for public consultation the proposed objective that will initiate the process for P35 to be revised. The proposed objective reads accordingly: “To clarify the provisions of policy P35 of the Development Control Design Policy, Guidance and Standards 2015 in relation to the provisions entitled “Interpretation of building height limitations outside villa/bungalow areas” and specify the number of allowable levels for all the ranges of facade heights and overall heights in metres”.

The Authority invites the public to send in their comments and feedback on the proposed objective through email address: consultation_dc15@pa.org.mt.

Submissions must be received by 11 March 2024.