A planning application by the Marsaxlokk Football Club to build a hostel, an old people’s home and new stands for its existing football pitch has been removed from the Planning Authority’s agenda, despite being set for a final decision next week.
Having been recommended for approval at the end of last month, the case had been previously slated to be decided on December 15.
However, following a private planning board meeting held on December 1, a note was filed on the board minutes saying the application was being withdrawn from the agenda. The application’s case status was also updated to read “awaiting review of recommendation”.
Typically, the planning board is obliged to convene the first sitting to discuss the application within 100 days from the validation date, which in this case was December 1, 2021; however, this may be extended if the executive chairperson chooses to withdraw the application from the agenda for further review as deemed necessary.
Question about authority clearance
It is presently unclear why the application was pulled from the agenda. However, despite being recommended for approval, the application does not seem to have been cleared by the Social Care Standards Authority, which is typically consulted on planning applications seeking to build old people’s homes.
Despite the SCSA’s standards for elderly care home providers obliging reduced noise and a calm experience, the ODZ site earmarked for the development is across the street from a busy boatyard that services large fishing vessels. Additionally, the home will be overlooking the football pitch, which comes with its own intrusions of noise and light pollution.
When asked by Times of Malta whether it had been consulted on the application and whether the application could move forward without the authority’s approval, a spokesperson for the Social Care Standards Authority said that the entity was “in contact with the Planning Authority regarding this application”.
Opposition to plans
The application has been met with significant opposition from Marsaxlokk residents, who said that the site’s location outside of the development zone, as well as the necessity to dig up a public garden in order to build it, is inappropriate.
Objectors raised other issues, including that the project is slated to be built on public land to which the applicant holds no title to.
The Malta Developers’ Association has also spoken out against the application, saying that a state-subsidised sports club would be competing with private investors who cannot similarly rely on government aid.