The environment and planning review tribunal : principles of good administrative behavior

Abstract

The Environment and Planning Review Tribunal Act, 2016 introduced a set of rules styled as principles of good administrative behaviour, which the Tribunal ‘shall adhere to and apply.’ Although no express provision was ever made in any of the previous planning legislations, it is acknowledged that these principles were long known to our justice system. In Parliament, the Hon. Dr. Michael Falzon maintained that the incorporation of the principles of good administrative behaviour in the new planning legislation reinforce such requirement: ‘Ħarisna ‘l bogħod fejn mhux biss qed naraw li jkollna entrenched u speċifikat fil-liġi li jridu jiġu segwiti r-regoli legali ta’ ġustizzja naturali, talli qed naraw li rridu mmorru lejn amminstrazzjoni tajba. Huwa obbigat ukoll bil-liġi li ż-żewġ partijiet ikollhom l-istess mezzi proċedurali. Huwa veru li dawn huma prinċipji diġà stabbiliti, imma għall-ewwel darba għandna liġi ad hoc li qed tagħmel obbligi speċifiċi fuq l-istess tribunal u jien nemmen li dik hija xi ħaġa pożittiva immens.’