ADPD-The Green Party has submitted an objection to an application for a shopping mall, retail and restaurant outlets and a hotel on ODZ land in Marsascala just 155 metres away from another proposed supermarket and next to an approved petrol station, the extension of which is currently subject to an appeal in court.

In objecting to application number PA/07170/23 at Triq iż-Żagħfran and Triq Sant Antnin Marsascala, ADPD Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo wrote that the application should be refused primarily on two considerations:

1) The proposal relative to the supermarket will generate traffic and increase carbon and other emissions contrary to Malta’s commitments for the mitigation of climate change impacts;

2) The proposal relative to the construction of a hotel should not be considered in view of the fact that currently there is a glut of hotel beds on the islands as evidenced by the Deloitte study entitled “Carrying capacity study for Tourism in the Maltese islands” commissioned by MHRA. The number of approved hotel beds currently in use, or projected, but already approved by the Planning Authority, is already approximately twice that of the current use and consequently one queries whether there is any economic sense in authorizing further development.

Moreover, this proposed development is not acceptable on sites outside the development zone.