“Now that the power station is gone, we need a boost for people to start coming back,” said mayor Francis Debono. Photo: Steve Zammit Lupi

The mayor of Marsa has backed calls for parts of the old power station to be preserved, but insisted his priority was new open space for the locality.

The Kamra tal-Periti appealed on Monday for the demolition of the power station, which was formally shut down two years ago, to be halted immediately and parts of it integrated into any proposed redevelopment of the site.

Architects cited the site’s important industrial heritage and recent student proposals for the building to be given new life as a cultural venue or research centre. There is currently no clear plan for the site after the demolition.

Speaking to the Times of Malta, Marsa mayor Francis Debono agreed that parts of the structure should be retained, including old machinery and the main chimney, which he highlighted as a potential tourist viewpoint.

But while acknowledging the site was large enough to house multiple uses, Mr Debono insisted calls for preservation could not stand in the way of any plans for it that would be more beneficial for the people of the town.

Asked how he would like to see the power station site used, Mr Debono called for a mix of open space, creative activities, commercial elements to allow the project to sustain itself and new housing for the locality.

“Our locality is in desperate need of regeneration. Now that the power station is gone, we need a boost for people to start coming back,” he said, stressing the need for a holistic plan.

Mr Debono also questioned whether the Kamra tal-Periti had the town's best interests at heart, stressing that for its people, the focus was on the power station finally being shut down, with the difference already being felt.

“The council wasn’t involved in the Kamra tal-Periti’s consultations,” he said. “Everyone wants the site for themselves, and the local authorities are excluded.”

Earlier this week, the chamber floated the idea of the power station being converted into an art gallery, drawing comparisons to the Tate Modern in London.

“The top of the tunnels would become a special type of park similar to those gradually appearing in Europe which link nature with art,” it suggested. “The whole complex could become the heart of a completely regenerated Marsa.”

The chamber also chastised the Planning Authority for its failure to undertake a study of Malta's industrial areas, “which are rich in industrial and architectural assets that should be preserved”.