The Church is not calling for an end to development, as its recent selling of Għargħur land shows, prime minister Robert Abela said on Monday.

Abela was reacting to Archbishop Charles Scicluna's Independence Day homily, in which he called out rampant construction as the "uglification of the Maltese landscape" and warned politicians that greed for money and power was spreading like a "disease".

"In his homily, the Archbishop never said development should stop," Abela told Times of Malta when asked for a reaction.

"So much so,  the Church - as it had every right to do - recently sold land for commercial reasons, on which apartments will be built."

Abela was referring to a Times of Malta story, published just a day after the homily, revealing that the Church had sold a large field in central Għargħur and that the land has been earmarked for a “monstrous high-rise project” that residents are fiercely opposing.

The plot measures 1,100 square metres and is situated behind the church. It is just a stone’s throw away from the village’s urban conservation area.

It was originally intended for the construction of catechism classrooms but was instead sold to developers.

Residents who are opposing the project blame the Church for selling the site which could have remained a green area.

The Church is not developing the area itself. On Friday it defended its decision to sell the land and said it was now up to the authorities to decide on the applications submitted by the present owners, in line with existing policies and building regulations.

'Development must be aesthetically pleasing'

On Monday the Prime Minister said he agreed with Archbishop Scicluna, in that all development must be aesthetically pleasing.

"Building upwards is necessary for our scenario. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's ruining our landscape, as long as we respect aesthetic principles," he said.

"That's where I agree with the Archbishop - prioritising aesthetic should be the rule, not the exception."

Times of Malta also asked the Prime Minister whether he agreed with Clyde Caruana, who on Friday said people were "getting tired of cranes and concrete".

In his address to PL supporters, the Finance Minister added that even though construction should not be stopped, Malta's economy must shift away from it.

"Construction is not the only industry on which our economy is built, although it is a very important one," Abela said.

"There are other industries, like the gaming and tourism industries, which are vital for the country. So let's not create divisions between industries, because they are all essential for our country.

"Development needs to be sustainable and aesthetically pleasing, and while processing its applications, the planning authority should give added value to these principles," he said.