The planning authority dropped the idea of hosting the proposed American University at Fort San Leonardu when it carried out a preliminary assessment on two areas earmarked for the institution, partly because of vegetation needing protection and difficulties of approach when compared to Żonqor Point.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tabled the assessment in Parliament in reply to a question by Opposition MP Ryan Callus.

The assessment says the Fort San Leonardu area is “significantly more important” in terms of cultural heritage value. Vehicular access is through narrow country lanes and in some places the restricted area was not deemed suitable for the scale of development proposed for the AUM.

There would also be more problems in terms of utility provision and added costs, as well as proximity to other settlements – just 800m from Xgħajra.

On the other hand, access to the Żonqor area is through a single carriageway which links up to a wider road network.

The area is only a few metres away from the development zone of Marsascala and, in the absence of a detailed site boundary, can be considered as adjacent to the zone. At face value, utility services would be able to accommodate the current and planned requirements of the development zone in terms of both residential and commercial uses, according to the Mepa assessment. No other government land of the substantial size needed for the project is available in the southeast of Malta for comparative purposes, it concludes.