‘No Concrete In Mellieħa Heights!’: PN Councillor Stands Firm Against Green Area Development
Mellieħa PN Councillor Gabriel Micallef has voiced his opinion on the growing controversy surrounding the sale of public land in Mellieħa Heights, standing firm against the development of the area.
Micallef spoke out against the sale of public land in Mellieħa Heights, questioning why it wasn’t part of Project Green, a €700 million initiative aimed at transforming local land into open spaces for the public.
“The public land in Mellieħa Heights should remain public and untouched, allowing people to enjoy it. Local councils should take a firm stance on such matters,” Micallef said.
In January 2023, the Mellieħa local council was informed about Project Green. Little did they know that just a few months later, in April 2023, the public land in Mellieħa Heights would be designated for development and put up for sale by the government.
The land, which had been unsold for 30 years, was proposed to be turned into residential dwellings, with only 30% of the site to be retained as an open public space.
Micallef also expressed his disappointment and shock at the decision. He accused the authorities of using the Project Green initiative as a manipulative tactic to divert the community’s attention from the sale of the Mellieħa Heights land.
This statement was echoed by PN MP Ivan Castillo, who highlighted the hypocrisy behind the Project Green initiative.
Castillo stressed that the Mellieħa Heights land was the last open space within the urban development area and should be part of Project Green, rather than being sold for development.
Adding to the controversy, investigations carried out by The Shift revealed a potential conflict of interest involving Lands Minister Silvio Schembri and developer Paul Attard.
Attard, the majority shareholder of GAP Developments, was alleged to have a connection to the land in Mellieħa Heights, which was being sold at much lower than market rates under unusual circumstances.
The land, worth around €12 million, was potentially going to be handed over to T&S Property Holdings Ltd, a company where Attard is a majority shareholder, for a fraction of its value.
Residents of Mellieħa Heights and local politicians also raised their voices against the sale.
Former Labour Minister Evarist Bartolo and PN whip Robert Cutajar expressed their concerns about the government’s silence on the issue. They appealed to the government to halt the process and leave the land for the locals.
Just recently as well Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer questioned his own party’s approach to public land use.
A petition against the further development of the area gathered almost 500 signatures, but it has been largely ignored by the authorities
What’s your opinion on this controversy?