A developer has suspended plans to build a nursing home outside the development zone in Swieqi after a flurry of objections rose in opposition to the project. 

Previously, new plans had been filed proposing an extension of the basement from one to three levels. 

The proposed site is located at Triq Wied Mejxu on a lane off Triq Sant’Andrija at the bottom of Madliena Valley.

While the local council and Swieqi residents highlighted the ecological sensitivity of the area, the architect described the site earmarked for the project as “wasted land caught in between development on all sides”.

According to PA/01940/24 submitted by Joseph Mangion and signed by architect Joseph Bondin, the proposal is to excavate and construct a Class 2A nursing home on four floors and a recessed level from a new road. 

The application marks the fifth attempt to secure permission for development on this site, following three refusals and one withdrawal of similar applications.

The new plans include three basement levels as parking and ancillary facilities, including storage, a mortuary, a car lift, offices, a kitchen and a clinic. 

The application validated last April saw a stream of objections.  On October 17, Mangion submitted fresh plans, triggering more objections.

Speaking to Times of Malta on behalf of residents, Oliver Tanti said they are deeply concerned that the development would not only alter the character of the area but set a precedent for further ODZ encroachments.

“This is not the place for a nursing home,” reads one representation filed with the Planning Authority on November 5.

The Environment and Resources Authority joined the objections, making it clear that “urban-type developments unrelated to rural activities should remain confined to designated development zones”.

This proposal would seal approximately 575 square metres of rural land. Photo: Planning Authority

'No innate need for a nursing home'

On November 1, the Swieqi council also expressed its disapproval of the project, underlining the importance of safeguarding ODZ land from urban encroachment.

Mayor Noel Muscat called the proposal “disgraceful”, saying “there is no innate need for a nursing home to be located in this area when other appropriate sites exist”.

The rural landscape should remain protected for the community’s benefit, serving as a “green lung” for Swieqi, especially given the area’s significant recent residential developments, he insisted.

Muscat said the applicants’ proposal to build six floors on the side of the lane off Triq Sant’Andrija and four floors on Triq Wied il-Mejxu, cannot be justified, “since no height limitations for ODZ spaces are established by the local plan”.

“The local plan does not indicate building heights because there should be no building ODZ, and therefore the building height should be zero metres.”

According to the council, this space should not be compromised for a commercial venture that could be situated within a designated urban area.

Muscat highlighted that access to both sides of the proposed home would be detrimental to the quality of life of residents. 

Lawyer and environmentalist Claire Bonello, representing the residents, pointed out that the site is mostly undeveloped and unspoiled, and any new construction would exceed the site’s minimal existing footprint, which covers only about 70 square metres.

The local plan does not indicate building heights because there should be no building ODZ, and therefore the building height should be zero metres

According to Bonello, this proposal would seal approximately 575 square metres of rural land, contravening the objective of preserving such spaces for agricultural or natural uses.

Additionally, policies under the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) call for locating community facilities within urban zones unless no feasible alternatives exist – a criterion that Bonello and the council argue has not been met.

The council and residents said the access routes for construction and service vehicles, as well as visitors, are narrow and inadequate for regular, two-way traffic, particularly for large vehicles such as ambulances.

Bonello noted that granting this application would likely pave the way for similar projects, slowly eroding the rural landscape.

The recent ecological restoration efforts by Project Green in Wied Mejxu would also be undermined, as the proposed building would essentially replace the native greenery with concrete.

The proposed development site at the bottom of Madliena valley. Photo: Oliver Tanti

Speaking to Times of Malta, Bondin acknowledged the site’s contentious history.

“Other applications for residential apartments on this site were previously rejected. However, if I were in the PA’s shoes, I would approve a home for the elderly on this land for two main reasons. Firstly, because this is wasted land, caught between buildings on both sides. Secondly, because there is a need for a nursing home in Swieqi.”

He said the proposal addresses parking issues, and this is why the basement levels increased from one to three.

“Additionally, we designed the upper part of the development to start level with the adjacent buildings but then step down gradually to blend more naturally with the surrounding structures,” he noted.

Three refusals and a withdrawal

Originally, in 1999, Mangion had sought the construction of a four-storey block of 28 flats with three over-lying penthouses, an underlying garage and an adjacent swimming pool. 

Three years later, the application was linked to the construction of three further floors over a currently approved block of flats, while in 2005, he proposed an extension to an existing residential block. All applications were refused.

In 2022, the developer submitted an outline application for a residential development on four floors with basement garages. 

The application was eventually withdrawn but the developer introduced a new application for a home for the elderly in November 2023.