Sadeen seeks permits for three new buildings for Bormla campus

The historical building will see substantial internal alterations to accommodate classrooms and workshops set over six levels

Sadeen Education Investments, has presented a planning application to build an additional floor on the knights’ building and three new buildings in Bormla’s Dock Number 1 area
Sadeen Education Investments, has presented a planning application to build an additional floor on the knights’ building and three new buildings in Bormla’s Dock Number 1 area

The company behind the private university at Zonqor Point, Sadeen Education Investments, has presented a planning application to build an additional floor on the knights’ building and three new buildings in Bormla’s Dock Number 1 area. 

The historical building, used as a galley storehouse by the Knights of Malta, will see substantial internal alterations to accommodate classrooms and workshops set over six levels. A top floor had been added in 1804 to house a ropewalk.

The frontal elevation of the Knights bulding, which will have an extra floor added
The frontal elevation of the Knights bulding, which will have an extra floor added

Dock Number 1, which will host part of the American University of Malta’s campus, will also see the erection of three new buildings and underground parking over which a student accommodation building will be constructed.

The application foresees the construction of a modern standalone administrative building, set over five levels between the British and the Knights building, and a new wing for the Knights building along Triq 31 ta’ Marzu, also set over five levels.

The accommodation building for students
The accommodation building for students

Sadeen has also applied for the excavation of the existing surface car park in Triq San Pawl, and the construction of a multi-level underground parking with a four-storey student accommodation building above. 

In August, Sadeen was issued with a permit to allow the development of a campus on the site of the British building in Dock 1 in Cospicua. This was approved by the Planning Authority despite a lack of a master plan for the whole site.

The administration building and the new wing as it appears in the architectural plans
The administration building and the new wing as it appears in the architectural plans
the administration building and the new wing as it appears in the architectural plans
the administration building and the new wing as it appears in the architectural plans

On that occasion architect Edwin Mintoff announced that the master plan for the whole area was still being drafted and would address the area comprehensively; that master plan would assess the provision of parking space for the campus. He also claimed that the site known as St Paul’s car park would be enough to cater for the parking demand of the project.

No application has so far been submitted for any development on Sadeen’s Zonqor site in Marsaskala, 18,000 square metres of which are controversially outside the development boundaries. In August, Dr Nasser Zayyat, the university’s academic head, announced that a master plan for the Zonqor campus was still being drafted. 

Plan shows Sadeen’s American University of Malta campus at Dock No. 1 will take over the British and Knights buildings, as well as another building used for a car park
Plan shows Sadeen’s American University of Malta campus at Dock No. 1 will take over the British and Knights buildings, as well as another building used for a car park