A Żejtun activist group has welcomed government talk of reversing a decision to commit agricultural land to industrial development, saying the eventual reversal would save Bulebel for future generations. 

In a statement, Wirt iż-Żejtun said it looked forward to seeing the government issue its revised objective and ask the Planning Authority to amend the South Malta Local Plan development boundary accordingly. 

The statement came after ministers Chris Cardona and Jose' Herrera said they would both seek to safeguard the site, which was handed to Malta Industrial Parks in 2010. 

"Let us see that all farmers who have been working this land for past generations will be asked to pay back their past rent which was withheld since the 1960s," the group said. 

On Monday, a parliamentary committee discussion about the land in question grew increasingly heated before eventually descending into a slanging match, with Partit Demokratiku calling parliamentary secretary for agriculture Clint Camilleri a "ġbejna".