Proposed local plan changes for sports facilities are a Trojan Horse, NGOs warn
Changes are intended to help sports clubs become financially self-sufficient
Ten environmental NGOs have denounced a government proposal to change local plans, arguing it will lead to the "intensification of construction and commercialisation" across the islands.
The groups claim the Planning Authority (PA) is using sporting facilities as a "Trojan Horse" to allow major development on land that is currently protected.
According to the NGOs, the proposed rules would allow projects where actual sport only takes place in a small fraction of the area, with the rest used for shops, offices, and catering establishments.
The PA’s proposal aims to align seven local plans with 2017 regulations intended to help sports clubs become financially self-sufficient.
The review seeks to introduce a policy that would allow sports organisations registered with SportMalta for at least 10 years to develop commercial spaces within their facilities.
Under the draft policy, "sports area" and "sports ancillary area" must make up at least 60% of the total floorspace. However, the NGOs point out that this 60% can include "ancillary facilities" such as spas, hostels, and bars.
The remaining 40% of the floorspace can be used for purely commercial activities unrelated to sport, such as shopping malls, supermarkets, and offices.
"This review is less about strengthening sports and more about opening up areas to intensive and unsustainable commercial development, including sites located in the ODZ and those designated as open spaces," the NGOs said.
Sport facilities on ODZ
The most alarming part of the plan, according to the NGOs, is the potential for development in ODZ.
The PA proposal suggests that if a sports club cannot find a suitable site within the development zone to meet international standards, it could build on ODZ land as a "last resort".
"In such cases, only existing or redeveloped quarries shall be eligible," the proposed policy says.
"No new land ODZ beyond the quarry boundary shall be allocated for the proposed development, unless such land or space consists of adjacent or nearby legally established, underutilised, abandoned, or failing sports facilities, owned or entrusted to the sports organisation."
But the NGOs argue this will lead to the "urbanisation of the ODZ" and undermine laws designed to restore quarries to their natural or agricultural state.
They also expressed concern that projects could be built on land considered "underutilised, abandoned, or failing," terms they say are not clearly defined".
"The changes prioritise commercial interests over sporting activity and would open up swathes of territory across Malta and Gozo to land grabs and speculation," the joint statement said.
The PA’s document does emphasise that the policy includes safeguards, such as requiring environmental and traffic impact assessments for all applications.
The development must "not affect a scheduled, designated or protected area, including Areas of Ecological Importance, Sites of Scientific Importance, Areas or Sites of Archaeological Importance, Areas of High Landscape Value or Nature Reserves" and must leave open spaces freely accessible to the public.
It also notes that for sites in ODZ, development must result in the "environmental improvement of the area through quarry restoration".
The statement was signed by BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta, Ramblers’ Association of Malta, and Wirt Għawdex.
The public consultation on the local plan review is open until April 1.
Submissions can be made through an online form on publicconsultation.gov.mt. Any clarifications are to be sent by email to sports_facilities@pa.org.mt.