5,000 back call to turn Manoel Island into national heritage park

Updated at 6:35pm with MIDI reaction

A petition demanding that Manoel Island be returned to public ownership and transformed into a national heritage park has attracted over 5,000 signatures in just over two weeks, campaigners from Manoel Island: Post Għalina announced on Friday.

Launched on 26 March, the petition urges parliament to intervene in ongoing negotiations between the government and MIDI, the private consortium holding a 99-year lease on the island, and to reclaim the site for public use.

The campaign calls for the creation of a public park celebrating Malta’s natural beauty and cultural heritage—one that would replace planned luxury apartments and commercial developments with open green spaces and recreational facilities.

Marie Claire Gatt, a spokesperson for the campaign, said the rapid support shows that “the public wants Manoel Island to remain a place for everyone to enjoy.”

Led by Moviment Graffitti and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA), the campaign has received endorsements from more than 40 organisations, including groups focused on physical and mental wellbeing. The Church’s Environment Commission has also voiced its support.

Campaign representative Robert Louis Fenech said the public’s response was encouraging. “It shows that people have not lost hope in their ability to make a difference.”

Fenech stressed the urgency of the moment, pointing to ongoing talks between MIDI and the government, which he said could lead to an extension of the 2026 deadline by which the entire Manoel Island project was originally meant to be completed. “This gives the public a small window to act—an opportunity we have not had in 25 years and will never see again,” he said.

MIDI’s current development plans for the island include around 400 luxury residences, commercial buildings, and a hotel set within the historic Lazzaretto—the oldest surviving plague hospital in Europe. Campaigners say this vision threatens to shut out the public from one of Malta’s most iconic and historic sites.

FAA Coordinator Astrid Vella argued that the island’s heritage buildings hold “huge potential” if properly restored, and could serve as the focal point of a vibrant green space for both locals and tourists.

The petition specifically calls on Parliament to renegotiate the agreement with MIDI to reclaim the land, halt residential development, and dedicate the space to public use—creating a green lung for the Gżira-Sliema area.

Campaigners have pledged to intensify efforts to gather support, urging “those who dare to dream” to sign the petition and push for a future where Manoel Island belongs to everyone.

The petition can be found through the campaign’s website and official social media pages.

MIDI reacts

In a reaction, the MIDI consortium said it is entitled to an “automatic extension” to the March 2026 completion date “for a number of reasons” as detailed in the deed. The reasons include the delays associated with the issue of building permits and the delays associated with the archaeological finds. “These delays are well documented and therefore the statement that the completion date is March 2026 is false and misleading,” MIDI said.

With regards to the public open spaces MIDI reiterated that “Manoel Island will remain a place for everyone to enjoy”.

MIDI’s masterplan for the development of Manoel Island, the company added, provides green space as 80% of the MIDI concession will be dedicated to public open spaces and heritage buildings. “This includes the 80,000sq.m Glacis Park, while the new buildings will only occupy 8% with the remaining 12% earmarked for other open spaces and circulation.”