A large area of garigue land close to Żonqor Point in Marsascala could be committed to development despite residents’ pleas to protect one of the few remaining open spaces in the area.

A zoning application being assessed by the Planning Authority seeks to create new roads and allow buildings of up to 17.5 metres on much of the 8,700-square-metre site off Triq l-Għawwiema, which was included in the development zone in the 2006 rationalisation exercise.

Some 50 residents and environmental group Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar submitted objections during the public consultation period, which closed on June 20, highlighting the area’s ecological importance and calling for the open garigue to be preserved.

“This is one of the few remaining areas of open land left in Marsascala and contains many valuable carob trees, evergreen shrubs and aromatic herbs,” one resident wrote.

This is one of the few remaining areas of open land left in Marsascala and contains many valuable carob trees, evergreen shrubs and aromatic herbs

“Not only will this natural landscape be no longer available for the pleasure and enjoyment of the population, it will be extremely detrimental to the environment and ecology.”

Residents claim the proposal will further diminish the natural landscape of the town, which has already undergone rapid and widespread development in recent years, and further limit the available open space to the detriment of residents.

They insist the new development will strain existing infrastructure and exacerbate current parking problems and flooding issues as the stretch of land disperses the flow of water from the Żonqor heights.

The site is about 150 metres away from the location of the proposed American University of Malta campus at Żonqor Point, which is set to take up 31,000 square metres of land, more than half of it outside development zones.

An application for the controversial development has already been submitted, including eight dormitory blocks of up to nine storeys, an administration block, auditoriums and underground parking.

The project was significantly downscaled and split across two locations following public outcry but the government has since said it should not go ahead until the AUM filled up its first campus at Dock 1 in Cospicua, which has only attracted a fraction of the students it is intended for.