A proposed mega block in Santa Luċija will threaten residents' quality of life and should not go ahead, Malta's green party said on Saturday.

Nearly half of adult residents in the locality objected to the development, which would involve destroying a field containing mature olive and citrus trees to build a five-storey mega block containing 75 garages, 36 apartments, five maisonettes and seven penthouses. 

Addressing a press conference, ADPD leader Carmel Cacopardo questioned the sincerity of the government's pledge to invest in open spaces when "the little that is left are being slated for development.”

"While on the one hand, the Ministry for the Environment insists on the need for open spaces, the Planning Authority is repeatedly approving applications for existing open spaces to be developed in an intensive manner as in the case of this project in Santa Luċija," he said.

He also pointed out that in spite of all the criticism from various quarters "the parties in parliament have not had the courage to stand up against this senseless overdevelopment."

ADPD have long maintained that the few open spaces remaining within our urban zones should remain as such to offer an essential lung for our communities.

Cacopardo pointed out that the development proposed in Santa Luċija, will ruin the residents’ quality of life with a building that will rise above, disfigure and stand out from the rest of the neighbourhood.

A civic centre building and landscaping works will also undermine the characteristics of this locality and its way of life, he said.

And to add to that, the development will generate an excessive amount of dust and traffic in this locality which is relatively quiet when compared to other urban areas.

He pointed out that Santa Luċija had been planned in such a manner that many open spaces were left purposely undeveloped in order to be enjoyed by its residents.

But the quality of life of residents was being forgotten and overshadowed by intensive development which simply seeks to maximize profit, he explained.

ADPD Deputy Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that more and more open spaces were falling victim to the greed of certain developers who only focus on how to best fill their pockets, continuously disregarding that which is beneficial for the local communities.

"Their attitude ignores the mental health of residents and the quality of life that should be measured not by the bank account balance but on living serenely and having time for your personal and family life," she said.