Kalkara residents have been told their marina will not be extended by a "single centimetre" after anger over an application that appears to show plans to expand it to cover the entire creek.

The Planning Authority's geoserver shows an application for an area covering around 35,000sqm of the creek along Triq Sally Port and Triq ix-Xatt. However, the website gives no other public details saying: "No complete application found."

The present yacht marina covers a smaller area of 21,000sqm in front of a boatyard in the vicinity of Bighi. News of the potential expansion had angered many, who took to social media to complain.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg then denied that there would be an expansion, after a meeting with Mayor of Kalkara Wayne Aquilina and MPs. 

The planning authority's map server shows an application for an area the size of the entire creek. Photo: Google Maps/Bernard Casha

He said: "I assured them that the Kalkara marina will not be growing by even one centimetre."

Dr Borg said that the application, which has not been published publicly,  specifies that existing buoys at Kalkara Creek and beyond the marina concession will be rearranged.

"Although we looked into the possibility of expanding, as happens with every project, I can assure everyone that this will not be happening," he said. "In fact, this is all part of the application. Kalkara residents and others in the area as well as vessel owners who berth there have been waiting a long time for this project.”

The meeting occurred after the Mayor told residents he had only found out about the potential expansion on Wednesday morning.

Senglea resident Janice Rafelo, who is already campaigning to stop building expansion around the American University of Malta in nearby Vittoriosa said: "I feel we have to be strong and stand tall. We really can't back down on this issue. The Cottonera is an important location and enough rape of the land has occurred without consent!”