Żabbar Residents Protest Against Five-Storey Care Home Planned For Town Square
Residents, activists and even a government minister gathered in Żabbar this morning to protest a planned home for the elderly in the heart of the town’s square.
The five-storey building was approved by the Planning Authority in November, after developers reduced it from an original seven-storey proposal. But councillors from both Labour and PN say the project will overwhelm the historic square and damage the area’s character.
Żabbar mayor Jorge Grech, addressing the crowd, said the demonstration was supported by politicians from across the political spectrum, including smaller parties.
He argued that the new care home would “erase the identity of the area” and even block traditional feast fireworks, adding that the structure would rise roughly 1.5 metres above existing buildings and introduce large, exposed third-party walls.
Grech also raised concerns about practical issues, noting that the project doesn’t provide adequate access for ambulances or delivery vehicles and would remove existing parking spaces.
He pointed out that Dar Sagra Familja, a church-owned building directly across the street, had already been earmarked by the council as a potential care home. The former children’s home would offer double the number of beds, a garden, and much more space for parking.
“It’s true that Żabbar needs a care home so our elderly can stay in the town, but the quality of care we deliver matters,” he said.
Grech also pushed back against statements from developer Daniel Zahra, who argued last week that images shared by objectors were misleading. The mayor accused developers of altering renders to discredit opponents, insisting that the quoted 17-metre height includes the basement level.
Zahra’s lawyer has previously claimed the project would “complement the square, not uglify it”, and would feature a limestone façade with filigree details. But Grech countered that the PA’s approval carries no guarantees regarding the façade.
The development has triggered criticism from several figures within Labour and government, including Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, Carmelo Abela, and PL president Alex Agius Saliba. Caruana, who is from Żabbar and was the only politician present for the protest, said he felt obliged to show support.
“Given that there are already plans to turn the nearby building into a home for the elderly, I don’t think there is need to disrupt the aesthetics of such a beautiful square,” he told reporters. Responding to claims that he only intervened because Żabbar is one of his constituencies, Caruana said he has never shied away from expressing his views.
The protest was also backed by Momentum, with party member Matthew Agius saying the proposal was yet another example of developments gradually eroding Malta’s urban character. He pointed to past political decisions that allowed hotels, and later care homes, to build an additional two storeys beyond standard planning limits.
Agius called for “full and transparent” public consultation on these policies, similar to the one currently underway on hotel height extensions, and urged authorities to halt all related applications until updated policies are in place.
“Until the consultation is concluded and a new policy is established, all related applications must be halted immediately to prevent further irreversible damage,” he said.
Credit: Chris Sant Fournier
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