Extending the American University of Malta’s existing Cospicua campus would take up one of town's last remaining open spaces, the Nationalist Party's Cospicua branch said on Wednesday.  

In a statement, the PN’s Cospicua sectional committee said that the harbour locality was already built up enough and urged planners to turn down the proposal. 

The locality lacked open spaces for residents, and the proposed campus extension would be taking up one of the few remaining open areas.  

Plans to dig up open spaces in the locality and extend the AUM’s existing campus are also opposed by some residents, who have formed into a new civil action group in a bid to block them. 

Action: Give us Back our Land are collecting signatures for a petition against the AUM plans, in the run up to a Planning Authority hearing about the application. 

"Contrary to the popular belief of residents, and even media reports stating otherwise, none of the Cottonera local councils have objected to the development," the group said in a statement on Tuesday. 

"Cospicua and Senglea Local Councils did send formal letters to the PA, objecting only to the depletion of public parking places which would result from the development.  Only Senglea councillor Malcolm Gatt put in an objection as an individual, flagging up concerns also about loss of open and community space, as well as heritage considerations". 

An aerial view of the proposed developments.

The new group is not the only civil society organisation objecting to the AUM plans. Forum Kumunita Bormliża, Għaqda Dilettanti Sajjieda Barklori Isla, Flimkien Għal Ambient Aħjar, Din L-Art Ħelwa, Futur Ambjent Wieħed and several individuals have also said they want the plans blocked.  

What does AUM want to do?

The AUM wants to build a private underground car park and several storeys of student dormitories, including a large rooftop swimming pool, instead of a public car park at the back of the AUM's Cospicua campus. 

Besides that, the university has also applied to build a new building between the British and Knights building, taking over an open community space that was recently upgraded through EU funding. 

It also wants to extend the existing Knights building, adding two floors to it. 

The group says that extension would effectively obscure the view of Senglea's fortifications from Dock 1 in Cospicua. 

The plans were submitted by architect Edwin Mintoff on behalf of the Sadeen Group, the Jordanian construction company that owns the AUM. 

A simulation of the Knights Building extension, provided by the group.

Representations made during the ongoing consultation process lamented the “takeover” of public space.

Last month, Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield, in an opinion piece on Times of Malta, called on the AUM to give back the land to the people, saying it has a corporate social responsibility towards the surrounding area.

A simulation of the proposed dormitory building, provided by the civil action group.