Built-up areas grew by 655 football pitches between 1998 and 2012, study shows

A study of land use changes in the Maltese Islands found that artificial surfaces expanded by an area equivalent to 655 football pitches between 1998 and 2012.

Conducted by Daniel Sultana from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and published in the science journal Xjenza, the study shows that almost half of the new artificial surfaces were built outside designated development zones, raising concerns about the effectiveness of planning policies in controlling urban sprawl.

While Malta’s Structure Plan, which regulated development during this period, sought to direct development into existing urban areas and prevent further encroachment into undeveloped land, the research indicated that its implementation was only partially effective.

This policy was later replaced by the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED). However, the study did not cover changes in the last decade, during which the Planning Authority approved nearly 25,000 new dwellings on greenfield sites.

Urban sprawl in the noughties

In 1998, artificial surfaces occupied 48.13sq.km, with 84% located within development zones, 14% in the ODZ, and 2% within protected areas.

By 2012, an additional 4.68sq.km had been developed, with only 49% of this expansion occurring within designated development zones.

Moreover, 48% of the development occurred outside these zones, while 3% was built within environmentally protected areas.

The findings suggest that while the Structure Plan’s policies helped confine urban growth within designated zones, they were less effective in preventing expansion beyond these areas.

On the other hand, environmental policies were more successful in curbing industrial and residential development within protected sites, limiting new artificial surfaces in such areas to just 3% of the total growth.

The research also shows that urban expansion has come at the cost of agricultural and semi-natural land.

Between 1998 and 2012, 1.84sq.km of used agricultural land and 1.4sq.km of abandoned agricultural land were lost to development, together accounting for 62% of the newly developed artificial surfaces.

An additional 0.43sq.km of semi-natural areas were converted to artificial surfaces, further reducing the availability of green spaces.

Urban expansion greater in the south

The study also suggests that most of this urban sprawl took place in the south of Malta, particularly in the area covered by the Malta South Local Plan (MSLP), which includes 20 localities, such as Zabbar, Marsaskala, Zejtun, Siggiewi, and Luqa.

This region accounted for the largest share of new artificial surfaces by 2012, with total new development reaching 1.23sq.km. Of this, 0.55sq.km was within development zones, while 0.68sq.km was outside designated areas.

The MSLP region, covering 20% of Malta’s land area, accommodated 25% of all new artificial surfaces between 1998 and 2012.