Resident groups will gather in Safi to demand justice in planning

Resident groups from 11 localities are set to gather in Safi on Saturday where they will demand justice and respect for their realities in light of the ongoing controversy surrounding proposed planning laws.

The event, titled Flimkien b’Saħħitna, is organised by Il-Kollettiv together with the Safi Local Council, and will start at 10:00am. 

The location chosen for the press conference is Ta’ Amparell, Safi, the site of a rezoning application for a massive plot of agricultural land that has been divided into six separate planning applications. This planned development will see the construction of over 300 apartments.

Safi Mayor Johan Mula voiced his opposition to the project, stating that a development of this magnitude would have a "huge negative impact on a small locality such as Safi".

Mula noted that once completed, the construction would lead to an increase in inhabitants by around 1,000 people, meaning one third of Safi’s current population. 

The Safi Local Council has argued that if development must occur on the site, it should be sustainable.

Il-Kollettiv President Jeanette Borg echoed the mayor’s concerns, characterising the situation in Safi shows a pattern that has "destroyed the quality of life of thousands of people across Malta". The protest is intended to bring residents together to discuss the realities of their towns and the anticipated impact of the proposed planning laws on their lives.

Il-Kollettiv said that it has been actively engaged in discussions with the government concerning Robert Abela’s proposed planning laws.

Borg warned that the combined effect of the proposed changes mean "more construction, more traffic, more overpopulation, and more destruction of agricultural land". 

The press conference is endorsed by resident groups from twelve localities: Safi, Qrendi, Żurrieq, Żejtun, Birżebbuġia, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Sliema, Valletta, Swatar, Kalkara, and Mellieħa.