Clyde Caruana, Carmelo Abela back protest over Żabbar five-storey elderly home

Updated 6.30pm

The Finance Minister has backed a public protest called by the Żabbar local council over a planning permit for a home for the elderly that will tower over the town's urban conservation area.

Clyde Caruana, who hails from  Żabbar , said he supported the local council's position against the development "in the heart of  Żabbar".

Caruana joined fellow PL MP Carmelo Abela who earlier on Thursday shared a poster by the local council about the protest that will be held on Monday in Żabbar's main square at 10am. The poster has the tagline Ħaż-Żabbar jixraqlu aħjar. 

The council has said the five-storey development was approved despite its objections.

The site is located at Misraħ tal-Madonna Medjatriċi and Triq Ganni Bonavia. The square includes the Notre Dame Hall, the Żabbar Sanctuary Museum, and Dar Sagra Familja, a children's home run by the Church. Next door to the Żabbar Sanctuary Museum lies  Żabbar’s parish church.

The plan, submitted by Daniel Zahra through architect James Bonnici Camilleri, is to demolish a two-storey building while retaining the façade, to construct the elderly home.

The council said the development will go up right at the edge of the Urban Conservation Zone, a stone's throw away from the parish church.

It will be higher than surrounding buildings, jar with the context of the area and also hinder fireworks, the council said. Furthermore, the developer may also apply to build an additional two floors in terms of the policy for old people's homes.

On Thursday, Abela told his Facebook supporters that Żabbar constituents were not happy with the proposed development.

He said the government could continue excelling in the care of the elderly without sacrificing the locality's characteristics. 

"The people's outcry, led by the Żabbar local council, should be heeded so that we find a solution that respects both social needs and sustainability," he said.