Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535324
7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 14 MAY 2025 NEWS Land in four localities transferred for development of affordable housing projects Foundation for Affordable Housing to build homes for middle-income families on land in Fgura, Kirkop, Marsaskala and Ta' Ġiorni LAND in Fgura, Ħal Kirkop, Marsaskala and Ta' Ġiorni has officially been trans- ferred from the Housing Authority to the Foundation for Affordable Housing, paving the way for the construction of new homes targeted at middle-income families who struggle to buy property at market rates. The transfer was unanimously ap- proved by the NAO accounts committee on Monday evening, following a reso- lution tabled by Social and Affordable Accommodation Minister Roderick Gal- des. The agreement involves granting the land under a perpetual emphyteusis (cens) model in favour of the foundation, allowing the sites to be developed specif- ically for affordable housing purposes. In a statement, the Social Housing Ministry welcomed the committee's de- cision, saying it marked a significant step forward in the government's long-term housing strategy. The Foundation for Affordable Hous- ing was set up in 2022 as a joint initiative between the Government of Malta and the Archdiocese of Malta. Its goal is to support people who fall outside the eligi- bility brackets for social housing but still cannot afford to buy a home at market prices. "These sites will allow the foundation to deliver affordable apartments to the Maltese and Gozitan public," the minis- try said, adding that the move is aligned with the Malta 2050 Vision, which fo- cuses on inclusion, particularly among youth and other vulnerable groups. Photo: Micaela Parente/Unsplash NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt Record breaking viewership for Malta Premier final between Hamrun Spartans and Birkirkara 360Sports Malta Premier says 76,000 TV box sets tuned in to watch the 360Sports Malta Premier final between Ħamrun Spartans and Birkirkara 360SPORTS Malta Premier revealed on Tuesday that 76,000 TV box sets tuned in to watch the match on Saturday 10 May for the final between Ħamrun Spartans and Birkirkara. The final, played at the end of the 360Sports Malta Premier campaign, was the most-watched programme during 6pm to 8pm, claiming a 36% audience share, according to 360Sports statistics. TVM Sport+ was accessed by 76,000 viewers with TVM having 65,000 view- ers, NET had 24,000 viewers, and ONE TV had 21,000 viewers. On Saturday, Ħamrun Spartans were crowned as Malta champions for the 11th time in their club history after they beat Birkirkara 1-0 in the final at the National Stadium. This season saw the first time the new format was used for Malta's top football league. The format saw the traditional league split into two rounds: an open- ing and closing rounds. During phase one of the opening round, all 12 teams played each other once. In the second phase, the 12 teams split into the top and bottom six. The teams each played five matches, and a ranking was set at the end of the opening round. After the opening round was complet- ed, all team's points are reset to zero. In phase three of the season, the league entered the closing round, with all 12 teams once again playing each other once. Teams once again were then split into the bottom six and bottom six for a second time, or the fourth phase of the new league. With an average of two viewers per household, the number of TV viewers is estimated to have beem 150,000 accord- ing to the league's press release. On top of this, another 12,000 people watched the match online, pushing the total viewership to approximately 162,000. "Viewer numbers had been rising steadily in the final weeks of the season and reached their peak during Satur- day's final," they said in a press release on Tuesday. Recent changes introduced by the Malta Premier and PBS included more structured pre-match coverage, a bet- ter-quality live broadcast, and a tempo- rary studio setup in the North Stand. Hamrun Spartans FC (Photo: Hamrun Spartans FC / Facebook) JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt