News • 24 November 2002

St Julian’s fishermen claim Spinola development has appropriated public land

By Matthew Vella

ST JULIAN’S - The Ghaqda Sajjieda u Dilettanti Giljanizi are claiming that public land has been appropriated by a developer who is building a block of flats overlooking St Julian’s Bay. GhSDG President Mario Borg used a map to show that the private development at Xatt tas-Sajjieda, next to the Kavallieri Hotel, was taking place on public land that had been reclaimed 15 years ago.

The GhSDG said that the developer behind the construction of the flats, restaurant and boathouses is Mr Ernest Grech, who first landed in the quiet St Julian’s Bay street ten years ago, to demolish what had been national poet Dun Karm Psaila’s summer residence.

Now he meets new opposition from a 5,000-strong community, crying foul at his latest appropriation of land down at St Julian’s Bay. The fishermen are being supported by the Spinola Resident’s Association, Fishing Enthusiast’s Federation and the Dilettanti tan-Nar.

GhSDG are claiming Mr Grech’s latest development is robbing them of public land which had previously been used for local events and by the local fishing community.

"The Government upgraded this area to provide public open space for the St Julian’s residents. It is used for training the local scouts, and for fund-raising meals for the local fireworks committee.

"It is also used by the local fishermen who for years have been using the land to work on their boats when they are pulled out of the water."

The development, at 80-83 Spinola Road, has been planned for development into residential units and a restaurant, and has already risen to five floors above street level, with one floor below street level to be used for garages, as according to PA6580/01.

The GhDSG is calling for the permits issued to Mr Grech to be declared null.

Mr Mario Borg showed journalists how Mr Grech’s construction was being developed over land where the sea originally flowed by pinpointing cracks in the ground where sea water was seeping in. Mr Borg also showed an area previously covered by rocks that had now been destroyed by the developer to make way for the apartments.

The GhDSG are claiming Mr Grech’s development will also extend to the outer shores of the bay, which are set to extend 27 feet outwards. Mr Borg said that a 1904 map of the area, which outlines the land prior to development, shows that the construction is planned to go beyond the shore.

"With such proof, we are calling for MEPA to stop this destruction of public land."

GhSDG are also calling for the restoration of the area to its previous state, and that no further private development is allowed on the land. Members of the group also called for the restructuring of two public passageways that ran across the boathouses and beneath the back of the Spinola Road houses.

Part of the public passageway which ran beneath the Spinola houses has now been demolished to make way for the flats. Today it also serves the Terraza restaurant, which had been built as part of Mr Grech’s previous Spinola development.

The GhSDG called on Home Affairs and the Environment Minister Tonio Borg to confirm that the land is in fact Government-owned.

matthew@maltmag.com