Marsaskala residents are again joining forces with the environmental group Flimkien Ambjent Ahjar against the proposed development at the site formerly known as the Etvan Hotel gardens.

This development involves a public site that is being used for commercial purposes as a beach club by the said hotel.

The developers are now awaiting the green light from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for the development of another 29 apartments to add to the more than three thousand apartments for sale in Marsaskala alone. A decision on the development is expected to be taken by Mepa on Tuesday.

In a statement, the resident said that although Mepa had issued an outline permit for the development, the developers had not yet addressed safety issues, as the developer was proposing an elevated public roof garden on top of the development.

When FAA and the residents asked the Occupational Health and Safety Authority for its stand on the project, it said it was not its merit to decide on a private issue, even if it included a public space.

The developers, the residents said, were proposing to build a public roof garden littered with shafts and other equipment needed to service the block of apartments. For the Maltese islands such a project wasa first and the developers failed to protect the public interest, favoring the protrusion of more apartments at the expense of public land.

The residents pointed out that even the council had failed to take a stand on teh development.