Momentum backs Mellieħa mayor’s call to safeguard public land

Momentum is calling for an immediate parliamentary intervention regarding development application PA 07710/24, labeling the transfer of former public land in Mellieħa as a prime example of how the state subsidises private profit at the expense of the community.

The party expresses its full support for the parliamentary petition submitted by the Mellieħa mayor and councillors, to expropriate the land and convert it into a public garden. This was a request originally made by the Mellieħa Local Council over twenty years ago.

Carmel Asciak, Election Candidate and resident in Mellieħa, highlighted a deceptive element in the financial structure of the land transfer. While the land was transferred on a perpetual emphyteusis of €151,000 per annum, Momentum points out that this cost is a “temporary rent” for the developer. The developer will not be paying this in the long term. This “ċens” will eventually be carved up and passed on to the individual purchasers of the units built. The developer gets to exploit public land to build a high-density, high-profit complex, while the permanent financial obligation is offloaded onto the final purchasers. It is a win-win for the private entity and a lose-lose for the people of Mellieħa.”

Beyond the financial aspect, Momentum notes that the project is a direct assault on the residential character of the area.

• The project reportedly breaches Policy NWTO 1 and ignores established height limitations.
  
• The addition of 28 apartments and a commercial guesthouse will place immense pressure on an already struggling sewage, water, and electrical grid.
  
• The site is a natural green area that serves as a vital “lung” for the neighbourhood.
  

“Public land should serve the public good, not act as a discounted raw material for private speculators,” Asciak continued. “By selling this land for residential and commercial exploitation, the government has ignored the Council’s 2003 plea for a public park.”

Momentum believes that Members of Parliament now have a responsibility to listen and act. This is an opportunity to do what is right, to protect community wellbeing, and to ensure that public land is used for the public good.

Momentum urges MPs from all sides to support this petition and stand with the residents of Mellieħa. Public land should serve the people, not be lost without proper scrutiny, balance, and accountability.

Link to the parliamentary petition: https://parlament.mt/en/petition?id=324

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