Dozens of Mellieħa residents gathered on Saturday morning to protest against a 109-unit apartment complex set to replace a green lung in Mellieħa Heights.

They warned that the 4,000-square-metre area is being sacrificed for a “concrete trophy.”

Organised by NGO Il-Kollettiv together with residents, the protest seeks to raise awareness about a proposed development (PA/00371/24) by T&S Property Holdings that would see 92 apartments and 17 penthouses built in Tal-Qortin, along with 171 underground garages.

While the Planning Authority has yet to decide on the permit application, the project has already received initial approval from the Environment and Resources Authority.

Standing in the shadow of a crane, Olivia Gauci, who lives nearby, said she had reached her breaking point.

“We had a gem of a country and they have turned it into a concrete trophy,” she told the crowd. “I want to address the Prime Minister to take the necessary action to protect this land, for the wellbeing and health of the residents.”

Residents have the backing of their local council, with Mayor Gabriel Micallef and deputy mayor Matthew Borg Cuschieri both present.

Micallef said the council would be formally objecting to the project and said Mellieħa risked becoming “another urban jungle”.

Borg Cuschieri was more blunt.

“This is madness,” he said, applauding the turnout of around 75 residents. “They say that Mellieħa residents wouldn’t come, but here we are.”

The project includes residential units spread across three blocks, ranging from the ground floor to third floor, with penthouses on top and garages in the basement.

Residents say they are deeply concerned about the project ridding Mellieħa of a rare urban green space.

T&S Property Holdings, the company behind the development, said in a statement following the protest that the area had been designated for development since 1965 and that the 2006 local plans also denote the area as being available for development.  

The development being proposed will include a public green area as required by planning policies, the company added.

"T&S Property Holdings Limited, as a well-established and reputable investment company, continues to strive to provide high-quality residences and is fully cognisant of its obligations towards the community and the environment," it said. 

The company is majority owned by GAP Homes developer Paul Attard through his company TRD Holdings Ltd. Attard and Paul Vella, of Ballut Blocks, serve as its directors.

Mark Borg, who has lived in Mellieħa for 43 years, said he grew up playing in the green space now under threat.

“This space could easily be converted into allotments for the residents to enjoy. They said that you couldn’t grow on this land, but my friends and I grew those trees around 35 years ago, and look at them now,” he said.

Protest Signs of residents living opposite the green space. Photo Emma Borg

The land was previously owned by the government but was transferred to T&S Property Holdings in 2023 under a 50-year perpetual emphyteusis. The company pays an annual fee of €380,000, with the option to redeem the emphyteusis within the first 15 years after inflation adjustments. The land’s market value is estimated at over €12 million.

Wayne Flask, Kolletiv’s secretary, praised the residents for their involvement and encouraged others elsewhere to get involved in community action.

“Pressure on a local level works more than people think. The idea that there is political apathy everywhere is a sweeping statement,” he said.

For many Mellieħa residents, the fight is far from over. “We have to all stand up and be counted and save what little we have left,” said resident Julian Grech.