Updated 8.30pm

Environment Minister Jose Herrera this evening joined over 300 Pembroke residents who descended on the unbuilt land proposed to house the new Chiswick House School, protesting against the development they say could ruin the locality.

The minister said he was attending the event to make a statement and to show residents that they had his support. 

Taking a pause from chanting and waving of placards with slogans opposing the massive development, residents told the Times of Malta they would do everything in their power to stop the project, insisting their locality was already chock-full of schools.

The site earmarked for development on Gabriele Henin Street falls within the development zone but lies not far away from scheduled garigue.

READ: Pembroke Council opposes school plans

The outline proposal by CHS (Chiswick House School) Ltd, was filed for the construction of a primary school with 36 classrooms, outdoor sports facilities and 82 parking spaces.

The school’s director Bernie Mizzi had said in a statement earlier this week that the site formed part of a much larger parcel of land that had been earmarked for development for many years.

Ms Mizzi also pointed out that this was mentioned in the brief for the locality in the 2006 North Harbours Local Plan.

Plans for the school would see around 25 per cent of the earmarked site built, with a private road created to provide access to and from the building. The school has commissioned an environmental report into the project and said it is willing to work with stakeholders and listen to their suggestions.