Zonqor: a victory for civil society

A substantial part of the American University of Malta is to take place in Bormla instead of Zonqor, thanks to the largest-ever environmental protest to take place in Malta.

Cottonera residents who hope that Sadeen’s private university will improve their daily life can at least recognise that Front Harsien ODZ’s protest had a role in persuading the government to relocate part of the university in Cottonera. 

But 18,000 square metre of outside-development (ODZ) land in Zonqor will still be sacrificed: this cheap-land-for-commercial-development formula means it would be interesting to know at what price public land is being given to private interests. This is not an environmental issue, but about the type of economic model we want. Should taxpayers subsidise private developments like this one? A private university for rich students and their families will bring economic benefits, but project it as some of social investment is, of course, way off the mark.

All in all, it is a partial victory for Front Harsien ODZ and other environmental NGOs and this strengthens the resolve of civil society to oppose ODZ development wherever proposed, including the part of the project still located in Zonqor. 

The fact that the agreement with Sadeen Group has not been published still raises questions on whether government was contractually obliged to give Sadeen a sea-view for dormitories constructed on cheap, ODZ land.

But yes, the bars have been raised, and from now on government should be more wary of ODZ developments. Imminent decisions on the White Rocks development, the Gozo airstrip, Comino, the Gozo cruise liner terminal, and land reclamation come to mind.

Malta has lost – and keeps losing – too much countryside. Now it is set to lose 18,000 square metres of land instead of the 90,000 originally proposed. And we cannot afford to lose anymore.

Although changes to planning laws made by the present government do not bode well for the environment, the strength of civil society resistance limits the power of governments to ride roughshod over civil society.