PA reviewing supplementary guidance related to the Seveso II directive

The Planning Authority is reviewing the 2005 Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance on Major Accident Hazards and Hazardous Substances

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In 2005, the Planning Authority had approved a document which set out a planning policy framework for implementing the land use planning objectives of the Seveso II Directive.

The purpose of this policy document was to control development close to installations which use or store hazardous substances, so as to reduce the number of people at risk and to reduce the likelihood and the extent of harm if an accident occurs.

The Seveso II Directive has been subsequently replaced by Seveso III Directive (EU Council Directive 2012/18/EC).

As a result, the Planning Authority is obliged to carry out a review of the 2005 Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance on Major Accident Hazards and Hazardous Substances.

For this reason, the Authority is publishing the objective for public consultation:

  • To transpose and implement Article 13 of the Seveso III Directive.

The public is being invited to submit and comments on the objective. Representations are to be made in writing and sent through e-mail address: [email protected]

Submissions are to reach the Authority by 3 February 2020.

PA gets a fifth directorate

The Executive Council of the Planning Authority has approved the setting up of a fifth directorate within its structure to provide a distinct and clearer focus between strategic forward planning and development permitting.

Over the years, these two separate functions were incorporated into one single directorate.  Martin Saliba, the new chairperson of the PA’s Executive Council said “the setting up of the new Development Management Directorate will now make it possible for the Planning Directorate to refocus its core competences and get better equipped to focus on policy formulation and forward-planning issues. We need to ensure that the spirit of SPED is effectively reflected in all the plans and policies by which planning applications get assessed and decided upon.”

This change is also in line with the provisions set out in the Development Planning Act (2016) which had introduced the function of the Executive Council whose purpose it became to administer the PA and decide on planning policies. In this way, the Planning Board was divested of this responsibility, ensure that the Board’s decisions would be autonomous and fair.

The PA now has five directorates namely: Development Management Directorate, Planning Directorate, ICT, Mapping and Digital Services Directorate, Enforcement and Compliance Directorate and Corporate Services Directorate.

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