From leafy renders to palm trees: Buġibba square's greenery falls short of plans

The landscaping at the newly inaugurated €10 million Buġibba square departs significantly from both the project's original renders and the plans approved by the Planning Authority, with shade trees replaced by palms that an expert says will do little to protect visitors from the sun.

In 2022, the Malta Tourism Authority shared the first renders of the project, with lush shrubbery and large, leafy green trees sprouting from the ground and offering shade to people sitting on nearby benches.

Architecture firm XYZ Ltd, which was hired by the MTA to design the project, submitted its latest plans in November to the Planning Authority. According to those approved plans, Holm oak trees and Primrose trees were supposed to be planted in the centre of three timber benches.

However, when the project was inaugurated on Tuesday, the large trees were replaced with palm trees and newly planted olive trees.

Arborist Jonathan Henwood confirmed with Times of Malta that the trees planted in the square are notably different from those presented and approved in the plans to the Planning Authority.

The latest approved plan for the Buġibba square, designed by XYZ Ltd

The trees mentioned in the plans submitted by XYZ Ltd.

“Oak trees would have been difficult to grow there, given the prevailing wind and saline conditions, but not impossible and other alternative trees may have been planted. Palm trees won't offer any shade,” he said.

He also pointed out that some of the palm trees in the area, such as the Mediterranean dwarf fan palm and the cocos palm, will remain small and not provide any shade when fully mature.

Moreover, the shrubbery used in the smaller patches of soil is largely water-intensive. “It’s run-of-the-mill shrubbery that you find in roundabouts,” he said. “Basic elements to improve the quality of soil used and preserve water, including using resistant species, would have been a better choice!”

Questions have been sent to the architecture firm, the Malta Tourism Authority, and project manager Jason Micallef about the landscaping choices.

The €10 million Buġibba square was inaugurated on Tuesday evening. Works on the project started in February 2025, but ran into controversy in recent months when residents and tourists complained about the delays and the state of the area.

Critics have also questioned the aesthetics of the final product as well as the final price tag.

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bonett denied that the works had been sped up because of the election. He pointed to a Facebook post from six months ago, before the election date was known, in which he promised that the square would be inaugurated in May.

On Wednesday evening, Bonett said the embellished square will complement the new fast ferry service that will run between Sliema, Buġibba and Gozo.