44,000 square metres to be added to Nwadar nature park

A draft management plan for a nature park at Zonqor Point was launched for public consultation this morning, proposing 44,000 square metres added to the Nwadar natural park of which 30,000 square metres will be turned into outside development zones.

This would be added to the 929,000 square metre area earmarked for the park.

The announcement comes in the wake of government's plans to take over a 19,000 square metre area at Zonqor Point for a higher-education institution, reduced from 90,000 square metres. The area had already been designated as a nature park.

The government had announced in 2015 the intention to establish the first national nature park of this legislature, along the coastal and rural area bordering ix-Xgħajra, Ħaż-Żabbar and Wied il-Għajn local councils.

A steering committee’s brief presents a concise overview of the natural, cultural and socio-economic characteristics of the park as identified in the 2006 South Malta Local Plan and its wider context.

“The government believes that establishing a national park in this beautiful area will safeguard the natural environment and give people an open area to enjoy. The brief acknowledges this and sets out a vision where Il-Park Nazzjonali tal-Inwadar brings together the farming community and local residents with the natural and cultural heritage in a mosaic where open space provides a sanctuary of tranquillity, a source of knowledge and a continuous link with the surrounding landscape,” evironment minister Leo Brincat said.

The steering committee is composed of architect Ruben Abela, Michelle Borg, Steve Borg, and architect Michelle Piccinino; as well as Labour MP Silvio Parnis and Dr Jason Bonnici from the Consultative Council of the South; with Alex Muscat as co-chairman together with Louis Borg from the environment ministry.

The document was prepared independently from the outline development proposals for the part of the American Institute of Malta proposed at Zonqor. 

Submissions are be sent to [email protected] by March 30.