The American University of Malta has applied for an extension to its campus in Cospicua, to add offices in an additional two floors on a historic building that used to be a police station.
The controversial educational institution wants to reorganise the ground and first floor of the building, currently being used as a students’ house, and add two floors to bring it in line with the rest of its facility at Dock 1 in Triq Dom Mintoff and Misraħ Gavino Gulia, in Cospicua.
The building already forms part of an approved development for the change of use of the disused building into an educational institution. The proposal seeks to change the use of the building from one forming part of the adjacent educational institution to one housing administration officers.
The superintendence of cultural heritage was concerned about three main aspects of the project throughout the application process: the vertical extension of the site, which would reduce the legibility of the two historic buildings by creating uniformity of the two facades, the removal of a historical palisade above the building and the effect on the skyline, especially screening the view of St Paul church’s dome and belfry situated behind Dock 1.
The building extension was downsized throughout the application process, with the AUM proposing to recede the top floor and retain the palisade. The top floor will be receded at both ends to retain the view of St Paul’s dome from opposite the dock.
The original British Building was designed by William Scamp between 1841-1844.
The new floors would overwhelm the town centre and diminish its communal value- "
The permit to build the additional floors was granted in September 2018 and the AUM is now seeking to renew that permit. The application was filed by Raied Ebaid from Sadeen Education Investment Ltd.
The Planning Directorate noted that the architect provided justification for the proposal, stating that it required all offices in one building.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar objected to the development, claiming lack of justification for the proposed extension which would disrupt the skyline.
Other objectors said that the new floors would overwhelm the town centre and diminish its communal value. The NGO argued that intensifying the use of the historic landmark would be detrimental to the community.
The AUM, owned by Jordanian citizen Hani Salah’s Sadeen Group, has been embroiled in controversy since it was announced.
AUM opened its dorrs to students in 2017
It opened its doors to students in 2017 with the intention of attracting 350 students in its first year, rising to 4,600 by its 10th, and planned to expand to a larger campus in ODZ land at Żonqor Point.
But those plans went up in smoke with the university only enrolling a handful of students. Eventually, it dramatically changed course by allowing Maltese and EU students to enrol for free.
By 2019, the education minister at the time, Evarist Bartolo, said the AUM should not get its Żonqor land until it had more students, while Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield criticised the university for its plans to take up more land in the Cottonera to build a dormitory.
Last year, the university dropped its dormitory plans and Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that the university would be given land at SmartCity rather than Żonqor Point.
The AUM’s original licence expired in 2021 but it was then given a one-year extension. The licence was eventually extended for another five years last October.