St Augustine College will appeal the planning authority’s decision to turn down its application to build a new primary school next to its existing secondary school in Pietà.

“We are working on the appeal... The only extra thing we will be asking for is to fast-track the proceedings since here we are talking about a national reform,” college rector Fr Alan Scerri said.

The college had proposed to build four floors and two basement levels, covering an area of 7,700 square metres, on an undeveloped site between the existing secondary school and some back gardens in a residential area.

The primary school is needed to implement a national educational policy that aims at introducing a smoother passage between primary and secondary levels in all schools.

Earlier this month the Malta Environment and Planning Authority turned down the application saying the design and height of the proposed building were unacceptable.

It was deemed that the project lacked coordination, would constitute overdevelopment of the site and that it failed to respect the context of the urban conservation area.

A few days later, about 300 parents, teachers and students took part in a protest in Valletta to voice their frustration at the decision, which has left 150 pupils, who were due to have started attending the primary school, with an uncertain scholastic future.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was also presented with a petition, signed by 600 parents, teachers and former students, asking the government to help them find a timely solution.

Environment Minister Mario de Marco has said the government could not interfere in the planning authority’s decision unless the law allowed it to. Planning law allows for government intervention only on grounds of national interest once an appeal is filed, he explained.

Yesterday, 126 Pietà residents presented their own petition to Dr Gonzi asking that no special treatment be given to the school.

The residents object to the project because, they say, it is not compatible with the scheduled buildings in the area and would increase traffic and parking problems.

Mayor Malcolm Mifsud, who also signed the petition, pointed to a planning application submitted in 1995 to build apartments and underlying garages on the same site, which has since been bought by the college.

The authority had turned down the application following objections filed by both Dr Mifsud, as mayor, and the college itself.

A Mepa spokesman said the college had objected to opening up a window in a door leading onto the college’s property.