KSU is in full agreement with the Planing Authority Case Officer who stated that this project will negatively impact the area’s local plan since it’s conflicting with the Strategic Plan’s aim to ensure that new developments improve the amenity of the respective area.

The organisation further explained that this hotel will only fuel the lack of student-targeted services in the area, thus worsening the atmosphere of the campus and diminishing the student-life.

“Whilst the addition of student accommodation is necessary, this should not come at the cost of sustainability and proper infrastructural planning in line with the amenities of the respective area.”

The protest will be held on Wednesday 7th September at four pm at the University Quadrangle. Everyone is welcome to join the demonstration – activists, students, staff, NGOs, and the general public.

Meanwhile, students are encouraged to go and pick up reused cardboard for their placards from the KSU Office until 8 am on the 7th of September.

This project has received its fair share of backlash, with University lecturer Kurt Borg condemning it by tweaking a section of Immanuel Mifsud’s environmental poem.

Borg hung the exerpt on the permit notice and it reads, “Aqta’ fjura u ibni kamra, Aqla’ ħanut tal-kotba u tella’ lukanda, Imxi metru, ibni villa, Tinkwetax…dak li sar sar.”

Translation: “Cut a flower and build a room, Demolish a bookshop and construct a hotel, Walk a metre, build a villa, Don’t worry, what has happened, happened.” 

The applicant of the permit PA/05079/22 is Mark Agius who is a business associate of construction tycoon Joseph Portelli.

For more details on the event, click this Facebook event link.

Will you join this protest?