Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1531843
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 JANUARY 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Greenfield development declines as The number of new dwellings approved on greenfield sites in 10 years was nearly equal to the total number of dwellings in Birkirkara and Qormi combined. But the percentage of new dwellings on these sites dropped to its lowest level since 2007. Amsterdam Trade Bank N.V. (''ATB'') was declared bankrupt on 22 April 2022 (F.13/22/77). On 28 January 2025, the Amsterdam District Court determined that the verification meeting in the bankruptcy of Amsterdam Trade Bank N.V. will be held on 31 March 2025 at 09.30 CET at the Amsterdam District Court, Parnassusweg 280, Amsterdam. Creditors must file their claims against ATB with the trustees no later than 17 March 2025. Claims submitted after this date will not be taken into account. Creditors of ATB who have not yet received any communication or interim payment from the trustees are hereby requested to contact the trustees at infoatb@stibbe.com. ATB also operates under the names ATBANK, ATBConnect, ATBSavings, FIBR and FIBR Bank and is registered with the Chamber of Commerce under number 33260432. If you have any questions about the bankruptcy, please contact the bankruptcy trustee's information desk at infoatb@stibbe.com. GREENFIELD development in Malta is on the decline, with the percentage of new dwellings approved on these previously undeveloped sites steadily falling in recent years. From 25% in 2022, the figure dropped to 22% in 2023 and further to 19% in 2024. Between 2014 and 2024, 21,951 new dwellings were approved on greenfield sites – almost the same number as the total dwellings in Birkir- kara and Qormi combined, according to the 2021 census. Greenfield sites refer to areas that were once undeveloped, mostly within designated de- velopment zones. This data emerges from sta- tistics published by the Plan- ning Authority in its annual review of residential permits issued in 2024, which includes figures for different categories of new dwellings approved each year since 2007. The data shows that the larg- est number of dwellings on greenfield sites was approved in 2019, with 3,535 new dwell- ings accounting for 28% of all approvals that year. In con- trast, 1,649 new dwellings were approved on greenfield sites in 2024, representing just 19% of the 8,716 total new dwellings approved—the lowest percent- age since 2007. Numerically, the 2024 figure is also the low- est since 2016. The latest statistics also show that the total number of ap- proved dwellings increased from 8,112 in 2023 to 8,716 in 2024, largely due to a rise in development on brownfield sites, i.e., areas already built up. Between 2023 and 2024, while new dwellings on green- field sites decreased by 9%, de- velopment on brownfield sites increased by 12%. Deciphering the trends One reason for the decrease in units approved on green- field sites in the past two years is the gradual exhaustion of sites added to development boundaries in 2006, which had previously accounted for a sig- nificant number of approvals. Additionally, several zoning applications for large ration- alisation sites remain pending, including two in Swatar and another in Mosta. One reason why development on green- field sites peaked after 2015 is economic. Although the ODZ extension took place in 2006, developers were hesitant to buy or develop these sites dur- ing the following financial cri- sis. However, the decline in ap- provals on rationalisation sites is now being partly offset by the acquisition of undeveloped sites and green enclaves within development zones by major developers. For instance, in 2024, the Planning Authority approved 109 new units on a greenfield site in Mellieħa leased by the