The Planning Authority has requested information about the application for a master plan for the Gozo General Hospital as part of its screening process.

Until this has been received, the application cannot be validated for processing, Capital Projects Minister Ian Borg said.

He gave no details about the kind of information still pending, how long ago it had been requested, nor whether there was a deadline for its submission. The application was filed in November 2016.

Replying to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Chris Said, he added that once the application was validated, a decision would have to be taken within 100 days.

The application envisages the part demolition, reconstruction and refurbishment of the existing hospital, which would result in increasing the number of beds from 270 to 450.

A surface car park is also being planned which would cater for 521 cars.

Dr Borg explained that apart from the master plan application, a separate application had been fled with the PA proposing demolition of part of the existing hospital and the erection of stores, which is also pending.

He reassured Dr Said that for this application, the scope of works was such that it would not prejudice the master plan.

The Gozo General Hospital is one of the three hospitals whose operation was given to Vitals by the government, which has now sold the concession to Steward Healthcare. Objections by the Medical Association of Malta to the agreement resulted in widespread industrial action on Monday.