Aquarium partners behind land reclamation bid

Entrepreneurs Saviour Ellul and Adrian Buttigieg, who are already partners in the National Aquarium in Qawra, have teamed up in a new company, Land Reclamation Limited, and submitted an expression of interest in answer to a government call.

Contacted by MaltaToday, Ellul, of developers Elbros, confirmed that the company is among the 17 companies which submitted 21 land reclamation bids in the recently issued call for expressions of interest.

Ellul did not reveal the site identified for this purpose or whether the development consists of an artificial island or an extension of the coast.

“It is up to the government to publish the bids and we await the government’s directions on which sites will be considered and what sort of development will be allowed,” he said.

Ellul excluded any connection between the National Aquarium and the land reclamation project, insisting that these are separate business ventures.

Asked about the viability of land reclamation, Ellul replied that this depends on what kind of “return” is offered by the development.

“It all depends on where the project will be located and what kind of developments would be allowed on it.”

Saviour Ellul is a prominent businessmen involved in Elbros and EBCON, a major construction company involved in tuna penning, construction, the importation of cement, and the running of the MCP car parks in Floriana and Hamrun.

Adrian Buttigieg is a property developer whose companies include the La Salita hotel in Mellieha and MENFI limited, a property development involved in the Hal Saghtrija development project in Zebbug, Gozo whose shareholders include Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli, St James Hospital and former parliamentary secretary Franco Mercieca.

Buttigieg and Ellul are involved in Marine Aquatic Limited, the company which runs the popular national aquarium.

21 land reclamation proposals are currently being assessed by a government committee evaluating a new series of mega-projects that range from a motor sport racing track, to floating villages, business centres and hotel resorts.

Bidders for land reclamation projects have signed a confidentiality agreement in which they acknowledge the government’s discretion as to whether or not it issues a competitive tender after the initial bids are analysed by the Government Property Division.

Bidders had to pay a €5,000 fee for the expression of interest, and were bound by a confidentiality agreement not to disclose to third parties any information contained in the EOI documents, for the next three years.

Last month MaltaToday revealed that the construction of an artificial island along the coast road opposite Qalet Marku is one of the preferred options among the 21 land reclamation proposals made, which are currently being considered by government officials.

No policy currently exists to regulate land reclamation but the new Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), which is set to replace the structure plan, includes a reference to land reclamation. 

This area was excluded in previous studies conducted by the previous government because of the ecological impact on protected posidonia meadows. The Scott Wilson report concluded that land reclamation is not a viable way to dispose of construction waste and that land reclamation could only become financially viable if accompanied by real estate development.