Government applied to demolish Bormla elderly home four months ago

Government has officially submitted its plans to demolish and rebuild the Bormla residential home for the elderly. 

The application filed with the Planning Authority specifies that the new home will have the same number of floors and volume as the existing building. It will retain the same use as well. 

The application which was published on the PA’s website in the past days was originally presented on 7 February 2023 before protests by elderly residents objecting to their removal from the home. 

The application was presented by Dr Renzo Degabriele the CEO of Active Ageing and Community Care, the government directorate responsible for residential care. 

The home, which is run as a public-private partnership with Care Malta, can accommodate up to 136 residents and currently hosts about 120.  

In May, residents had  hung bedsheets with messages such as "we are not leaving here" and "the elderly are not disposable" after being informed they will be relocated to another home pending the reconstruction. 

Active Ageing Minister Jo Etienne Abela had said that the  government must rebuild parts of the home because low-quality concrete had been used when it was originally built. Abela had also confirmed that elderly residents will be relocated to alternative facilities. 

The residents were given different options in the south of the island to choose where they want to go. 

The Nationalist Party had also called for an inquiry, saying one is needed to determine the real state of the home. The PN criticised the government for its lack of transparency on the issue, accusing it of keeping this decision secret until it was exposed. The Opposition also accused the government of failing to provide an official report or plan to support the demolition.