The Minister for Lands, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, is expected to announce an important step forward for the Maltese Land Registry. This Registry has been in place since 1982, with the primary aim of providing clarity and transparency about property ownership and rights in Malta. Despite over four decades of operation, only 56% of land has been registered.

In Parliament last week, Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi recalled the creation of the Land Registry under the Labour Government, four decades ago. A large proportion of land is still not formally documented, which means that updates are essential not only to ensure the transparency of property rights but also to improve the efficiency of property transactions.

The Agency managing the Land Registry is currently dealing with over 20,000 requests for land research. Whilst recognising that the transformation would not happen overnight but would be a gradual process, the Minister held that it will take with careful planning and a continued dialogue with all stakeholders. The ultimate aim is to provide legal certainty to property owners and to facilitate smoother property transfers.

Future Goals: A Complete Land Register

The government’s ambition is to ensure that 90% of all properties belonging to the Church are fully registered within the next few years. The Joint Office, responsible for registering church properties, has already made significant progress, with 67% of such properties now on record. The government’s commitment to reaching 90% registration is a reflection of its broader goals for a fully modernised land management system.

Strengthening the Lands Authority

Beyond the Land Registry, Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi spoke of the need for continued reform within the Lands Authority, a separate body responsible for managing government land. The government is committed to ensuring that the Authority becomes more efficient and effective in its role, especially as it deals with managing land transactions, ground rent redemption, and the devolutions of land for community projects.

The Lands Authority had made significant progress in hiring professionals, including over 70 architects, to assist with various tasks, from land valuations to tendering processes. These efforts will continue to ensure the smooth management of public land and the execution of vital infrastructure projects.

A crucial component of the new strategy is the acceleration of the digitisation process. This will not only improve accessibility and efficiency but also reduce backlogs.

In fact, 46,000 files have already been digitised, out of the total 150,000 held by the Authority.

This digitisation effort is expected to streamline workflows significantly, helping both property owners and government agencies access the necessary information with ease.

Agricultural Land and Ground Rent Redemption

In Parliament, the Minister also stressed that agricultural land remains a complex issue, with various administrative hurdles that need to be overcome. To address this, the government plans to introduce schemes that will speed up the processing of applications related to agricultural land and provide additional support to the sector.

Additionally, the government is set to widen its schemes for the redemption of ground rents, particularly concerning church land. These changes aim to provide clarity and certainty to individuals involved in emphyteusis contracts, ensuring that applicants fully understand the terms of their agreements from the outset.

Finalising Expropriations for the Homeownership Scheme

Another issue on agenda is the completion of the Homeownership Scheme. This initiative is designed to help individuals and families who struggle to access bank loans in acquiring property. There are still 80 plots of land, primarily in Mosta, that have not yet been contracted with their owners, and the government is working to finalise these agreements, with payments expected to exceed €8 million.