The Malta Developers Association (MDA) strongly objects to the application submitted by the Marsaxlokk Football Club to the Planning Authority (PA 08310/21) to expand its premises with the construction of a hostel as well as an old people’s home, along with seating stands for its existing football pitch.
The proposed development also includes a sports hostel as well as a home for the elderly and other facilities including a sports childcare centre, a social club, sport-related shops and outlets that can serve food and drinks as well as a physiotherapy clinic.
MDA’s objection is two-fold:
- While MDA agrees that sports clubs should be supported by the Government, the proposal would see a football club owning state subsidised facilities unfairly competing with private developers. The land in question is public land and a large part of the proposed use is essentially commercial in nature. Therefore, the proposal gives the applicants an advantage over commercial developments with similar uses, thus continuing to create an unlevel playing field that puts private developments for such uses at an unfair disadvantage.
- The site of the project is situated in a pristine undeveloped area that is outside development zone (ODZ) and such areas should never be used for development of commercial or residential facilities that can be accommodated within development zones.
MDA therefore insists that this application should not be approved and appeals to the Marsaxlokk Football Club to withdraw it.
