The Church on Thursday defended its decision to sell unutilised, developable land it previously owned in Għargħur and is now subject to a planning application for what residents say is a “monstrous high-rise project”.

It was now up to the competent authorities to decide on the applications submitted by the present owners, in line with existing policies and building regulations, the Curia said.

It was reacting to a report in Times of Malta on Thursday about Għargħur residents’ fierce opposition to the project. 

The prospective development is covered by three separate applications filed by different people within the development zone but just a stone’s throw away from the village’s urban conservation area. 

It was originally planned to be turned into catechism classrooms but was, instead, sold to developers by the Curia. 

A Curia spokesperson said that two of the four applications shown in an image submitted to the Planning Authority, with the proposed and possible future developments on the site, are not on the site previously owned by the Church. 

He insisted that the Church is not involved in any way in this development.

“The Church understands that the Planning Authority, the Environmental Resources Authority and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage will evaluate these applications in line with existing policies and building regulations,” the spokesman said.