A hearing on the American University of Malta’s (AUM) plans to extend its campus in Cospicua has been postponed until further notice, upon the applicants’ request.

The hearing, which was scheduled for 3pm on Tuesday, was one of several hearings leading to a final vote on the appeal.

It was put off to a later, as-yet undefined date after the university's owners sought an extension. 

Last year, the Planning Authority (PA) had turned down an application to extend the university's campus with three administrative and residential blocks and an underground car park.

The university, through its owners Sadeen Group, had appealed that decision with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal. 

In a move considered atypical, the PA last week urged the EPRT to refuse the appeal and support its original verdict on the application.

Cottonera residents have consistently opposed the project, saying the campus extensions would choke an already densely built-up area of the few open spaces it has left. 

Furthermore, many residents have noted that the AUM has yet to meet its initial targets for student enrolment and asked why a university with so few students needed to expand. 

As of last January, AUM had 143 registered students, a fifth of the promised amount of students it was supposed to have enrolled.

Former Education Minister Evarist Bartolo has stated that no further land should be granted to Sadeen Group unless the student population increases.