A group of Mqabba residents is objecting to the development of another block of apartments proposed by a company controlled by developer Joseph Portelli.

The proposal, PA/04317/23, seeks to build 43 apartments rising to five storeys on land that is currently used for farming. Its applicant is CF Developers Ltd, which is part of Portelli’s business empire. The architect is Maria Schembri Grima, who until earlier this year served as chairperson of the construction regulator.

Objectors say the plan runs counter to a three-storey height limit imposed in local plans for the area.

A photographic survey of the site submitted to the PA features just one low-res image of the site.

“This development is out of scale with the surroundings and runs counter to existing policies,” said a spokeswoman for the residents. “It will rob us of a green lung, threaten the rest of the area, and lead to more traffic and pollution.”

They also says that the project will hinder fireworks enthusiasts, who let off fireworks from fields close to the proposed development.

“The block will be built on agricultural land. Does the country really afford to sacrifice more farmland for development? What about the promise to create new open spaces? Have the residents of Mqabba been forgotten once again? Is their voice secondary to the interests of developers?” the residents said in a statement.

The project seeks to build an apartment block in the area marked in red.

“This is a similar story to what is going on in many other towns. We believe that it is time for us to stand up to be counted, as residents in other towns have done.”

The application, which was filed in May, had drawn hundreds of objections as of Saturday morning. The objection period expires on Monday, September 4.