Marsaskala mayor puts plans to develop garden ‘on hold’

Replying to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Owen Bonnici, the Prime Minister said the council abandoned its plans “because the project was not well received by residents.”

But when contacted, mayor Mario Calleja gave other reasons why the project was stopped. “We decided to put the project on hold because for the moment we have too much on our plate as our energies are absorbed in a number of other ongoing major projects”.

The current projects include the upgrading of the San Tumas area and works in Gnien San Tumas.

Calleja insisted that it was always the council’s intention to consult residents. “In fact, that was the whole point of issuing a call for expression of interest which was to be followed by public consultation”.

Council minutes show that during a meeting on 7 September the mayor acknowledged that the project was “not so well received by nearby residents.”

He said an “orchestrated email campaign”, opposition to his “genuine” proposal to develop a car park on the same site, and lack of understanding of a public-private project were to blame. The mayor added that the expression of interest was withdrawn because the council was there to accommodate and not to antagonise residents.

Plans to develop the garden were shot down in parliament by former Labour deputy leader George Vella, in a hard-hitting speech he delivered in parliament last April.

Describing the garden as “the only green space along the coast under the church,” Vella denounced the absence of tenders or any public information.

“Some people are already saying what is going to take place there. I hope that we will not see another concrete jungle there by witnessing four or five storeys rise up, with the excuse of enlarging the church parvis, and accommodating a few shops.”

Calleja had insisted that Vella was “misinformed” and later announced a call for expression of interest.

On that occasion, the mayor promised that none of the public areas of the garden were to be touched by the development, but confirmed the council was considering an underground car park, and a “small elevation for four shops.

The council had originally asked the government to devolve part of the land for a new administrative office. But following the local council reforms allowing councils to enter into public-private partnerships, the council asked for the devolution of the entire garden, to which the government acceded.

In the following months, opposition to these plans increased. Labour deputy Charlot Mifsud declared his opposition to the car park and declared his opposition to the uprooting of any trees in the garden.

Calleja defended plans to build an administrative building for the council at the back of the garden near Triq Santa Tereza, but claimed he had only mentioned the possibility of developing a car park under the garden because this was proposed by the Marsaskala shop-owners’ association.

Labour councillor Carmen Fearne had already declared her opposition in a previous meeting.

But on that occasion, Nationalist councillor John Baptist Camilleri agreed with the mayor that residents were being misinformed on the project and expressed his concern that this could harm the council’s plan to build a new administrative centre.