WATCH | Marsaxlokk residents livid at works during summer break

Several Marsaxlokk residents have reported ongoing demolition works at the site of the Hunters Tower restaurant, set to be replaced by a five-storey hotel, to MaltaToday. 

The works are taking place in Xatt is-Sajjieda and Triq Wilga, which are included in a list of tourist areas issued by the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), where demolition and excavation works are prohibited between 15 June and 30 September 2025. 

MaltaToday has been informed that demolition and excavation works were completed some weeks ago. However, heavy machinery was still being used to clear the site on Monday, causing dust and inconvenience in the area. 

This was confirmed by recent photos showing machinery clearing and piling debris at the site. However, since the ban only applies to “excavation and demolition” works, it remains unclear whether the current activity is actually in breach of regulations. 

A spokesperson for the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) confirmed that the agency is currently in contact with the MTA, who are the authority responsible for regulating activity in such zones, to establish whether the site falls within the scope of the summer breaktime regulations. 

“Both the BCA and MTA are closely monitoring the situation and will take the necessary action should any breaches of the law be identified,” a spokesperson said. 

They also specified that during two inspections conducted at the site, no excavation or demolition activity was observed. 

A video sent to MaltaToday by a resident shows a mechanical digger excavating rock on the site. MaltaToday could not verify when the video was taken but according to the resident, the excavation work was happening on Monday morning. 

A MaltaToday videographer present on site late on Monday morning captured a mechanical shovel shifting debris from one side to another, while the digger was parked.