Cross-party support for protest proves development is on everyone's mind, Żabbar mayor says

Protestors gathered in Zabbar on Monday morning to voice their objection against the development of an elderly home in one of the locality's piazzas.

Mayor Jorge Grech told attendees that the protest enjoyed unprecedented cross-party support from politicians across the political spectrum, demonstrating that development concerns go beyond party lines.

Last week, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana voiced his opposition to the development of a five-storey elderly home in his hometown of Żabbar.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana

"This protest is supported by various NGOs and politicians from the two sides of the chamber, three sides of the chamber, three political parties," Grech said. "This eventually shows that development is something that is above everyone."

Application PA/01617/24, seeks to convert an existing two-storey building located 40 metres from the sanctuary into an elderly home reaching a maximum height of 17.5 metres. The proposal was initially for seven storeys before being reduced to five.

file image

The council has formally objected to the application, arguing that the building would destroy not only the locality's character but also impact the Maltese feast tradition. Triq is-Santwarju enjoys what the mayor described as a "phenomenal perspective" for fireworks during feast celebrations, viewed from the church's balcony.

He disputed claims that the proposed building would be lower than existing structures, noting that the Sacred Family House measures just under 14 metres from street level, whilst the chaplains' house and sanctuary museum together measure between 12 and 13 metres.

The council has raised several regulatory concerns, including inadequate parking provision. The development proposes just 19 parking spaces, with developers paying €47,000 for a shortfall of 10 spaces. 

However, the mayor said that to accommodate commercial vehicles such as ambulances and laundry trucks, an additional 12 public parking spaces would need to be removed from Pjazza Mediatrice and the entrance to Triq Ġanni Bonavija.

Planning authority policy requires a two-way entrance of 4.5 metres for developments with 15 or more parking spaces, but the approved entrance measures just 2.4 metres, meaning vehicles would need to wait for one to enter and another to exit.

The mayor also criticised the lack of a bank guarantee to preserve the building's facade, despite previous assurances. "In the application now, the developers have been exempted because they have no remarked conditions and no bank guarantee on the facade," he said.

Photo: MaltaToday

The proposed elderly home would accommodate just 73 beds with only six carers, according to the developer's statements. "Everyone knows who has family members in elderly homes, how many people need to be working to take care of our loved ones in these homes," Mayor Jorge Grech said.

"When you have something that will really hurt people, you have unity because the politician will be really close, but I think the most important thing is that we understand, and we discuss," Grech said in a comment to MaltaToday. "When you consider that a beautiful square like this will be completely in the shadow of its character, I think everyone's heart was touched a bit more than normal."

He emphasised that the council is willing to collaborate with developers on appropriate projects, citing successful negotiations over cemetery extensions and other developments.

"We're here to represent the people. Where we're bothered, where things bother us, we'll continue to move them forward," Formosa Zammit said. "Any individual who wants to make projects in the locality shouldn't bypass the local councils. We're here to collaborate."

The mayor concluded by stressing his obligation to leave a better locality for future generations, echoing former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca's words about considering the impact on children.

"I have the obligation as mayor of the locality to represent my people. I need to leave a better locality than I found it," he said.