Plans for a Mellieħa guesthouse drive a mayor to parliament

Mellieħa’s mayor has launched a parliamentary petition calling for a plot of land earmarked to become a guesthouse to instead be expropriated and turned into a public park.

Gabriel Micallef, on behalf of the Mellieħa local council, submitted the petition on March 17. It is titled Request for the Expropriation of Land in Mellieħa (Originally Public Land) – PA07710/24.

In the petition, Micallef called to “expropriate the land and restore it to public ownership” and to “allocate funds to develop it into a public garden or open green space”.

The land in question is at Żnuber Place, between Triq is-Salib, Triq Salvu Camilleri and Triq Żnuber. A planning application proposes the construction of a 26-room guest house and 28 apartments on the site.

According to the application, the development would include a guest house equipped with a spa, pools, a bar, a breakfast area and a gym. It also proposes 28 apartments, 12 underground garages and 21 car spaces.

The site falls within a development zone but is still awaiting a recommendation.

Proposed Elevation at Triq Salvu Camilleri and sign detail Photo: PA Website

In his petition, which ends on May 22, Micallef said the request aims to safeguard public land, protect the character of the residential area and “reaffirm that public land must remain for the benefit of the people”.

He warned that if the development goes ahead it would place significant pressure on existing infrastructure, including drain­age, water and electricity. It would also increase traffic, noise, waste and light pollution.

The petition notes that in 2003 the local council had requested the land for public landscaping and recreational use. It adds that the council’s architect found the proposal breaches policy NWTO 1, exceeds height limitations and would negatively affect traffic and infrastructure.

“Ultimately, this is not just a matter of development, but of principle. Land that once belonged to the people cannot be lost without a voice and without a fair balance,” Micallef added. 

“We have a responsibility to protect our communities, our environment, and our heritage.”

Land acquired from government for €151,000

The applicant behind the proposed development is 121 Properties, owned by Roderick Conti. The project is being designed by architect Gilbert Bartolo.

The land was previously government-owned but was transferred to 121 Properties by the Lands Authority through a tender. According to a document published by the mayor on Facebook, the developer acquired the site for €151,000, with an option to redeem the emphyteusis within the first 15 years, adjusted for inflation.

Residents raised concerns about the proposal in 2024, warning it “will ruin this residential area forever”. They argued that introducing tourist facilities into a residential neighbourhood would harm their quality of life.

That same year, NGO Il-Kollettiv drew parallels with the Mellieħa Heights development, pointing to what it described as a “system of low valuations on large public lands that end up being developed”.

The Mellieħa Heights project (PA/00371/24) is a separate, controversial 4,000-square-metre development proposed by T&S Property Holdings in the Tal-Qortin area. Plans include a 109-unit apartment block, comprising 92 apartments, 17 penthouses and 171 underground garages, raising further concerns about sustainability in the locality.