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Former Magistrate Eyes ODZ Land In Mellieħa As Site For 3-Star Hotel

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Former magistrate Carol Peralta has submitted a planning application for the construction of a three-star hotel on 5,500 square metres of land outside the development zone (ODZ) in Mellieħa.

Beyond the site excavation and construction of the 118-room hotel spread across six floors, the development will also have four retail shops, a restaurant, two bars and lounges, a gym and two pools.

The area, which already has a number of hotels in the vicinity, is no stranger to development on ODZ land, with DB Group’s Seabank hotel able to undergo a 340-room extension after approval by the Planning Authority in 2010.

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Former Labour MP Charles Buhagiar is the architect behind the project.

This is the second time development on the land in question has been proposed. In 2008, he withdrew an application to develop on the ODZ land.

Peralta, who resigned as a magistrate in 2015, was a controversial figure during his time with the judiciary beyond alleged links to a Masonic lodge, notably holding a Christmas party within his courtroom and ordering the arrest of a journalist. He also survived two impeachment motions.

A petition urging people to “stand up to be counted” in an attempt to keep Mellieħa’s Għadira Valley ODZ is currently making the rounds

“The over-development in this country namely Mellieħa is worrying,” the poll’s mission statement announces. “Past studies carried out by the same Planning Authority show the negative impact of unsustainable and over development in our locality. It needs to stop. Let’s keep the open spaces.”

At the time of writing, the petition had gathered just shy of 750 petitions.

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Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.

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