A Santa Luċija apartment block that has been opposed by almost half of the town's residents has been slated for approval by the Planning Authority's case officer. 

If approved, the development will include two excavated levels of underground parking, 35 apartments, four maisonettes and six penthouses in an area full of low-lying single dwellings. 

The case officer assigned the application said that existing trees present on site are not protected, and a public open space has been included in the proposal.

The architecture firm responsible for the project is X,Y,Z Architecture & Design. Daniel Micallef, deputy leader of the Labour Party is a partner in the firm. 

Residents and the Santa Luċija local council have strongly objected to the development. 

More than 1,500 representations were received.

In September last year, the Santa Luċija vice-mayor Fredrick Cutajar and minority leader Liam Sciberras hand-delivered 1,056 objections to PA/05152/22 at PA headquarters, on behalf of the local council. 

Ninety per cent of the submissions came from Santa Luċija residents, representing almost half of the adult population in the locality, Sciberras said.

"We do not want Santa Luċija to become overdeveloped like other villages," the minority leader said. 

Vice-mayor Cutajar had said that residents living in front of the site would face the prospect of a big wall, instead of a field of olive trees, should the project be approved. 

He said the council was unanimously opposing the project.