The Malta Developers Association refers to negotiations that the Government is currently conducting on the transfer of public land to the private sector that are intended for development, among them the former White Rocks Holiday Complex site and other prime sites, particularly where real estate development will be permitted and placed on the market in competition with other developments built on private land.
Once again, the MDA insists with the Government that the transfer of public land for private commercial development should be at the commercial going rate on the day and not at a lower rate. This price should take into consideration the building volume (density) that is to be allowed on particular sites to be transferred, as well as the nature of the development.
This is very important both so that the State will safeguard the common good, as well as to avoid unjust competition and speculation between developers who buy private land at commercial rates and others who buy public land at preferential rates. In this way, there will be a level playing field that is desirable because unjust discrimination will be avoided.
The Government should also seek to avoid selling several sites to be developed for real estate purposes at the same time. This could have a negative effect on the property market to the detriment of all those who own private property and prospective buyers. In such a situation, it will be the government that is creating an artificial bubble in the property market, which should be avoided at all costs.
In this regard, the MDA fully agrees with Finance Minister Prof. Edward Scicluna, who recently emphasised that no economic sector should be allowed to overheat and reach overcapacity.
27 May, 2016
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Bejgħ ta’ art pubblika għall-iżvilupp ta’ residenzi
Il-Malta Developers Association (MDA) tirreferi għan-negozjati li qed isiru mill-Gvern dwar it-trasferiment ta’ siti lill-privat bl-iskop li dawn ikunu żviluppati, fosthom is-sit magħruf bħala “White Rocks” u oħrajn, partikularment billi dawn l-iżviluppi jinkludu postijiet residenzjali li se jitpoġġew fuq is-suq b’kompetizzjoni ma’ żviluppi oħra li jkunu inbnew fuq art privata.
Għal darba oħra, l-MDA tinsisti mal-Gvern li t-trasferiment ta’ art pubblika lill-privat għal skopijiet ta’ żvilupp għandu jkun bil-prezz kummerċjali tal-ġurnata u mhux b’xi rati baxxi. Dan il-prezz għandu jieħu in konsiderazzjoni l-volum ta’ bini li ser ikun permissibbli fuq l-art li se tkun trasferita, kif ukoll in-natura tal-iżvilupp.
Dan huwa importanti, kemm biex l-istat iħares il-ġid komuni, kif ukoll biex tiġi evitata kompetizzjoni inġusta bejn żviluppaturi li jixtru art tal-privat b’rati kummerċjali u oħrajn li jixtru art pubblika b’rati baxxi. B’hekk ma jkunx hemm il-level playing field li hi meħtieġa biex ma jkunx hemm diskriminazzjoni inġusta.
Il-Gvern għandu wkoll joqgħod attent jevita l-bejgħ ta’ numru sostanzjali ta’ siti kollha f’daqqa, bl-iskop li dawn ikunu żviluppati sostanzjalment b’postijiet residenzjali. Dan jista’ jwassal għal effetti negattivi fis-suq tal-proprjetà, b’detriment għal kull min hu sid ta’ proprjetà privata. F’każ bħal dan, ikun l-istess gvern li joħloq bużżieqa artifiċjali fin-negozju tal-proprjetà u dan għandu jkun evitat.
F’dan ir-rigward, l-MDA taqbel perfettament mal-Ministru tal-Finanzi, il-Prof. Edward Scicluna, li dan l-aħħar emfasizza l-importanza li ebda settur ekonomiku m’għandu jitħalla jikber iż-żejjed u jilħaq il-limitu tal-kapaċità tiegħu (overheat and reach overcapacity).
27 ta’ Mejju, 2016