Fgura council buys €1m plot from Joseph Portelli to turn into public open space

A revised application to build a sprawling apartment block on a plot of land in Fgura now includes a public open space after the local council negotiated with developer Joseph Portelli to purchase a piece of the land.

The application – PA/00743/26 – proposes the construction of 60 apartments and 14 penthouses with pools as well as the excavation of a reservoir, basement garages, shops and catering establishments on a plot of land on the corner of Triq Hompesch and Triq Nazzereno Farrugia.

A previous application on the same site – PA/04084/22 – was approved by the Planning Authority but was the subject of an appeal by the local council, which had slammed it as monstrous.

While the appeal process is still ongoing, the previous applicants, Vassallo Group Realty, have since transferred the application to Portelli, who entered into negotiations with the council.

Council spends €1m to buy land from Portelli

Speaking to Times of Malta, mayor Clayton Cascun Portelli said the council had unanimously agreed to use €1 million worth of funds collected through the PA’s Development Planning Fund, which compensates localities for the impact of development, to purchase the parcel of land from the developer. 

Should the PA approve the application, and the deal be rubberstamped by the Lands Authority, 430 square metres of land will be devoted to a public space, substantially shrinking the built-up area.

What the proposed building will look like when viewed from Triq Hompesch

“It is the council’s job to provide open spaces. Had the previous application stood, we would have continued to resist it as it would have been a big blow to the town. However, if you compare the two applications, the size and aesthetics are now better,” he said, adding that the area of land now slated for a community space was equal to around 16 apartments.

“While I don’t agree with all of Portelli’s projects, he was instrumental to this deal. I believe it’s a win-win situation for all concerned.”

Rich history

The plot in question is historically significant to the town. Up until 2021, the site was home to the oldest farmhouse in Fgura, dating back more than 200 years and considered the last surviving structure linked to the Ficura family, from whom the town’s name is derived. It also served as a Victory kitchen during World War II.

In 1995, the PA granted the farmhouse Grade 3 scheduling, indicating basic protection; any replacement structure would need to be in harmony with its surroundings. During the 2000s, the regulator denied multiple attempts to de-schedule it.

However, in 2019, the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal unexpectedly removed the scheduling, approving a request by the developer to do so. The tribunal argued that the farmhouse had been altered over time and had lost its original context due to surrounding modern development.

By 2021, the farmhouse had been completely demolished.