Ta’ Qali Sports Village application to be reconsidered following submission of late plans
An application to develop a large sports complex with retail and hotel facilities on agricultural land in Ta’ Qali, set for refusal, was removed from the Planning Board’s agenda last Thursday, a day before the meeting

An application to develop a large sports complex with retail and hotel facilities on agricultural land in Ta’ Qali, which was slated for refusal, was removed from the Planning Board’s agenda last Thursday, just one day before the scheduled meeting.
A Planning Authority spokesperson told MaltaToday that the application was removed from the meeting’s agenda “after new plans reducing the development considerably were submitted to the Authority.”
The new plans will be assessed by the Development Management Directorate, which means that a new case officer report will be presented.
The PA’s Executive Chairperson is legally empowered to withdraw any application from the board’s agenda if further assessment is required, as stipulated in a legal notice issued in 2016.
No new plans have been published on the authority’s public information system yet, but they are expected to be released in the coming days.
Aborted Proposal
The proposed large-scale sports complex at the former Flower Power site in Ta’ Qali was set for rejection because of extensive commercial and hospitality facilities that breached existing policies.
The proposal, spearheaded by Michael Spiteri on behalf of Mediterranean Flower Products Limited, sought to transform the site into a multi-purpose sports resort.
The proposed development included sports facilities, such as a full-size and a half-size rugby pitch, two full-size football pitches and a half-size one, six outdoor tennis courts, four paddle courts, a sprint track, a sports hotel, and a commercial complex with retail outlets, restaurants, and a garden centre.
The proposed project featured 16,036sq.m of built structures, including 4,000sq.m of commercial development. These included a commercial complex with 16 sports-related retail outlets and a food court offering a wide range of cuisines, with a seating capacity of 280 persons. A sports hotel, built on three levels, was also proposed. The project also foresaw the development of an internal road network for the exclusive use of buggies.
One of the primary objections raised by the case officer revolved around the proposal’s failure to align with the Ta’ Qali Action Plan. This policy document allows for the development of sports facilities in the area but limits the amount of non-sport-related development on the site to 15% of the total gross floor area of the project. While the Ta’ Qali Action Plan allows 6,700sq.m of commercial development, the developers proposed more than 30,000sq.m of hotel and retail development.
Describing the idea of having a “fully equipped sports city” as an “interesting concept,” the case officer however concluded that including extensive commercial and hospitality facilities was in breach of existing policies.