Mosta retail complex proposed by Gatt Brothers

A new huge retail centre spread on two levels over 8,700 square metres of land is being proposed instead of a concrete manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Mosta in the vicinity of the MCAST complex.

The development proposed by Fort Blocks Limited, a subsidiary of Gatt Brothers Limited, is set to further shift the commercial centre of Mosta to the town’s periphery.

MEPA recently approved another 3,000-square metre supermarket on the grounds of the Francesco Fenech plant, near the Hal Mann complex outside the Mosta technopark.

Replacing the existing Fort Blocks Industrial Complex, the new development will include a 1,390m² supermarket, a 450m² fitness centre, a 1,450m² external fitness centre, a beauty centre, a childcare centre and an outside kids area. The development will also include an underground car park for 124 vehicles.

Although formally outside development zones, the local plan has zoned the area as one for industrial use. Subsequently, a list of developments which can take place in this area was listed in a Planning Control Application. Although no reference is made to supermarkets among the listed permitted developments, MEPA has insisted that supermarkets are compatible with industrial areas.

According to the developers, the supermarket is “set to become a focal point in a thriving urban area”.

When asked to justify the location of the supermarket far away from the town centre, the developers argued that the proposed location would be ideal as customers coming from Burmarrad and St Paul’s Bay, as well as for those coming from Rabat and Mgarr and Naxxar all can arrive at the supermarket without having to driving through Mosta centre.

The ‘Interim Retail Planning Guidelines’ issued in 2004 state that supermarkets should be located preferably within or on the edge of town centres, but the same guidelines state that industrial land or buildings can be considered appropriate for supermarkets if the site in question is larger than 1,000m².

“If such an application were proposed within or on the edge of the Mosta town centre, it would have aggravated Mosta’s current traffic issue,” the developers argued.

A case officer report is recommending the approval of this application. A decision on the application will be taken by MEPA on 26 February.