Public consultation on new guidelines for temporary outdoor sporting events in rural areas opens

The Minister for Gozo and Planning Clint Camilleri has announced the opening of a public consultation by the Planning Authority for new planning guidelines regulating temporary outdoor sporting events and facilities in rural areas.

Minister Camilleri said that this initiative is motivated by the increased number of proposals for temporary outdoor sporting activities, such as obstacle courses and trail events, that are taking place in rural areas and in the countryside.

“While these activities are widely recognised as beneficial for recreation and an improved lifestyle, the current planning policy does not provide detailed operational criteria or parameters to assess the sites where these developments may be permitted,” said the Planning Minister.

He added that these new guidelines aim to establish a clear framework that balances recreational opportunities whilst protecting Malta’s rural environment.

The existing planning framework – including the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) and the Rural Policy and Design Guidance (RPDG) – recognises that certain recreational uses may be appropriate in rural areas when they are compatible with rural landscapes and are environmentally responsible and reversible. However, the lack of dedicated national guidelines “has created difficulty in how to assess these applications consistently,” the Planning Ministry observed.

As a result, these new planning guidelines aim to regulate temporary outdoor sporting events in a manner that protects the rural and natural environment, while leading to improved lifestyles and community recreation; consider legitimate and low-impact uses of rural land for temporary sporting activities, in line with national planning objectives; ensure that temporary permits do not lead to permanent urbanisation and that all installations are fully reversible; and to provide clear guidelines to both the Planning Authority and applicants for assessing proposals for such activities.

The Planning Authority invited the public to submit its feedback on the proposed guidelines. Official submissions can be made through the online form on http://www.publicconsultation.gov.mt/. Any clarifications can be sent to the PA via the e-mail temporary.sports@pa.org.mt.

The window to send in submissions for this public consultation ends on 12 May 2026.

The Planning Authority’s executive chairman, Johann Buttigieg, said that “outdoor sporting events play an important role in promoting an active lifestyle, but they need to be carefully planned and managed.”

“By creating these new guidelines, we will be providing clarity for both applicants and decision-makers, while ensuring that temporary use remains truly temporary, with full respect to the rural environment,” Buttigieg said.

Minister Camilleri concluded by stating that these new planning guidelines will help ensure that outdoor sporting events can proceed structurally and responsibly while safeguarding agricultural land, Natura2000 sites, and landscapes of high environmental value.

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