Commission & chairperson patterns
The 99.3% rubber stamp
Summary
Different planning commissions approve at different rates, and the Regularisation (REG) commission approves at an extraordinary 99.3%. Individual chairpersons also show varying approval rates.
Commission statistics are drawn from 69,254 board hearing records in the PA database. See methodology for coverage details.
Key findings
Approval rates by commission type
| Commission | Hearings | Approved | Refused | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WDS (Within Development Scheme) | 13,214 | 12,317 | 897 | 93.2% |
| REG (Regularisation) | 5,580 | 5,541 | 39 | 99.3% |
| ODZ (Outside Development Zone) | 2,931 | 2,704 | 227 | 92.3% |
| BOARD | 220 | 187 | 33 | 85.0% |
| UCA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100% |
The REG commission: a rubber stamp?
The Regularisation commission approved 5,541 out of 5,580 cases — refusing just 39. That's a 99.3% approval rate. This is the commission that handles retroactive legalization of already-built developments.
ODZ approvals: 92.3%
Notably, the ODZ commission — which handles development outside designated zones where stricter protections should apply — still approves at 92.3%. Only 227 out of 2,931 ODZ hearings resulted in refusal.
ODZ trend (from board minutes)
| Year | ODZ hearings | Approved | Refused | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 360 | 328 | 32 | 91.1% |
| 2022 | 464 | 415 | 49 | 89.4% |
| 2023 | 156 | 136 | 20 | 87.2% |
| 2024 | 686 | 655 | 31 | 95.5% |
| 2025 | 1,027 | 949 | 78 | 92.4% |
ODZ hearing volume has tripled from 2021 to 2025, while approval rates remain above 87%.
Chairperson approval rates (20+ hearings)
| Chairperson | Hearings | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Perit Anthony Camilleri | 163 | 99.4% |
| Perit Simon Saliba | 741 | 95.1% |
| Mr Martin Camilleri | 4,764 | 94.8% |
| Perit Claude Mallia | 486 | 94.0% |
| Perit Joel Fenech | 134 | 94.0% |
| Miss Stephania Baldacchino | 3,576 | 93.5% |
| Perit Elizabeth Ellul | 5,959 | 92.2% |
| Mr Anthony Borg | 56 | 91.1% |
| Mr Frank Ivan Caruana Catania | 214 | 90.7% |
Perit Anthony Camilleri stands out: 163 hearings, 1 refusal. A 99.4% approval rate.