Mellieħa residents have called on Robert Abela to revoke the land deal that will see a green lung in Mellieħa Heights into a towering apartment complex. 

In an open letter sent to the media on Tuesday, the residents called on the Prime Minister to intervene as, despite a pending appeal and a request for an NAO investigation into the land transfer, work is set to start on the site next Saturday. 

Despite this, works are set to commence this Saturday, with the permit being fast-tracked and approved within a period of just two months.

In their letter, the residents group said that based on public statements Abela had made, they were formally asking him to revoke the land transfer, as he has previously stated on several occasions that public land should not be sold for private development. 

However, they pointed out that he had stopped short of saying that this agreement should be revoked. 

"We are disappointed at how you are ignoring our pleas to save our quality of life – which is, after all, what you promised before the last election - and that your interest in this matter only comes as a reaction to the media," they said. 

"We are also angry at the way with which the Planning Authority has fast-tracked the developer’s application, issuing the permit in a record time of two months, whilst summarily ignoring our concerns. The Planning Commission’s members' attitude towards us was dismissive, arrogant, and definitely not servient to the public interest."

The group say they feel "abandoned" by the government and authorities, who are happy to make a profit at the expense of their quality of life. 

They added that they agree with a proposal by the local council that the land be turned into a public open space. 

"In light of all this, we ask you to intervene in our favour and to revoke the land transfer, and to instruct the Planning Authority to revoke the permit granted,” they said.