117-room elderly home proposed overlooking Speranza Valley in Mosta

A seven-storey residential home for the elderly that will house 236 residents is being proposed on a committed site overlooking Speranza Valley in Mosta.

The home will replace a row of existing garages on a site that was added to the development boundaries in 2006.

The application, presented by architect Darren Ciantar on behalf of Ciantar Properties Ltd, foresees the demolition of the existing garages, excavation of the 1,739sq.m site, the construction of three underground parking levels and seven floors above ground, including one receded level.

The site lies on the periphery of Mosta, directly overlooking a valley system which is scheduled for its ecological importance. Part of the site was incorporated into the development zone in 2006, while a zoning application approved in 2024 had already established parameters allowing a five-storey residential development on the site.

The existing garages were completely regularised in 2005 when the Planning Authority overturned two previous decisions not to sanction the illegal development because of the sensitivity of the site.

Under the approved zoning parameters, the part of the site overlooking the valley must be recessed by three metres from the development boundary. This would leave a strip of private open space between the building and the valley edge, intended to provide a transition between the built-up area and the rural landscape.

The Mosta local council had objected to the zoning expressing concern on the significant increase in height that would drastically alter the visual landscape of the area.

The proposed development is being assessed against planning policies which allow residential institutions, including homes for the elderly, in residential areas. Such facilities are also entitled to additional height allowances compared to standard residential development.

Old people’s homes located outside the ODZ are permitted an additional two floors under planning rules. This provision allows the proposed facility to rise above the five-storey residential height established through the previous zoning decision.

The project comes as demand for elderly care facilities continues to increase due to Malta’s ageing population. However, developments on the edge of development zones overlooking scheduled valleys have frequently raised concerns over the impact on sensitive landscapes and the transition between urban areas and protected countryside.

The Speranza Valley system forms part of Mosta’s network of rural valleys, which provide important ecological corridors and contribute to the character of the surrounding landscape. The planning assessment will determine whether the proposed scale, height and visual impact of the facility are compatible with the established planning parameters and the sensitivity of the adjoining valley environment.