The demolition of Marsa power station should be halted immediately and parts of the building integrated into any proposed redevelopment of the site, architects have told the government. 

In a statement, the Kamra tal-Periti noted that university students and academics had already come up with many proposals for the power station site, from turning it into an opera house or philharmonic concert hall to using it as an aquaponics research centre. 

A student's proposal for the redeveloped site. Photo: Matthew Muscat, student at the Faculty of the Built Environment

"What about a modern art gallery, as was done with the Tate 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, as in Berlin’s former Tempelhof airport, or in Copenhagen’s Norrebro district. The whole complex could become the heart of a completely regenerated Marsa," the KTP suggested. 

The KTP noted that while the Planning Authority had recently announced the scheduling of the old Gozo MMU Milk Plant, it had not afforded the Marsa power station site the same level of protection. 

It noted that there was still no clear plan what to do with the site once existing buildings had been demolished, meaning there was still time to integrate existing structures into any new development. 

The KTP also chastised the PA for its failure to undertake a study of Malta's industrial areas, "which are rich in industrial and architectural assets that should be preserved".  

It proposed creating a joint committee including the PA, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, Heritage Malta, NGOs and the KTP itself "in order to identify those buildings that and areas that merit preservation and sustainable regeneration."

Students' proposals for the redeveloped site. Photo: Matthew Muscat, Ryan Grech, students at the Faculty of the Built Environment