Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545509
A planning application (03118/26), presented by the Agriculture Ministry, proposes the reuse of the former train station building in Rabat, into a veterinary clinic. The application covering the building in Triq it-Tigri- ja, Saqqajja was presented by Permanent Secretary Sharlo Camilleri. The proposal also includes the removal of later accretions that currently obscure the orig- inal structure, replacement of dangerous ceilings on a like- for-like basis, and minor inter- nal alterations intended to ac- commodate the new use. Located along present-day Triq it-Tigrija, Notabile Station opened in 1883 as the original terminus of Malta's railway, linking Valletta to the outskirts of Mdina. Built in a deep rock cutting below street level, it be- came a busy gateway for race- goers and feast crowds. Follow- ing the extension of the railway to Mtarfa in 1900, the station gradually lost its prominence and was eventually buried be- neath later redevelopment, with parts of the original com- plex believed to survive under- ground. The Environment and Re- sources Authority (ERA) has raised no objections to the pro- posal. In comments submitted on 8 June, the authority not- ed that the site lies within an already committed area and involves the reuse of an exist- ing building, concluding that the development "raises no particular environmental con- cerns". However, heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa has strongly ob- jected to the application and requested to be registered as a third-party objector. While acknowledging the im- portance of restoring historic properties, the organisation argued that such interventions should enhance a building's cultural heritage value and en- sure its continued appreciation by the public. Din l-Art Ħelwa warned that the proposed conversion would require extensive alterations leading to the excessive loss of historic fabric and architectur- al form. It said the existing internal layout would effectively be erased, leaving only the exter- nal shell of the building intact. The NGO also questioned whether a veterinary clinic was an appropriate use for a herit- age property situated outside the development zone, arguing that such commercial activity would be better accommodated within designated development areas and could adversely affect the rural character of the site. It further pointed to discrep- ancies in the submitted plans, which identify internal spac- es as bedrooms, a kitchen and other domestic uses, suggest- ing the presence of an existing dwelling. The organisation said these inconsistencies should be clarified to ensure accuracy and consistency throughout the ap- plication. The Planning Authority is ex- pected to determine the appli- cation at a later stage. 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 JUNE 2026 NEWS Notifika t'Intenzjoni Liċenzja għal Xogħol Temporanju/Esternalizzazzjoni Innovative Workforce Solutions Limited tiddikjara l- intenzjoni biex tirreġistra għal-Liċenzja tal-Impjiegi skont L.N. 270 tal-2023 Att dwar L-Impjieg Industrijali (Kap. 452) Regolamenti tal-2023 dwar l-Aġenziji tal-Impjieg. L-attivitajiet proposti jiffukaw fuq il-provvista tal-ħaddiema bil-ħsieb li jkunu disponibbli għall-parti terza li tinkludi: 1. Servizzi ta' xogħol temporanju li jinvolvu l-provvista ta' ħaddiema lill-parti terza. 2. Il-parti terza tassenja x-xogħol lill-ħaddiema temporanji. 3. Servizzi t'esternalizzazzjoni li jinvolvu l-provvista ta' ħaddiema lill-parti terza. 4. L-aġenzija tal-esternalizzazzjoni , inklużi l-kuntratturi u s- sottokuntratturi, tissorvelja, tidderieġi u tikkontrolla lill-ħaddiema. Indirizz uffiċjali reġistrat: 103, Demajo House, Archbishop Street, Valletta Numru reġistrat tal-kumpanija: C74158 weekend Rabat train station could become veterinary clinic among the most likely in Eu- rope to seek professional sup- port for digital wellbeing issues. The report finds that 28% of Maltese young people turn to school counsellors or psycholo- gists, placing Malta second in the EU behind Luxembourg (30%). This is significantly above rates in countries such as Bul- garia and Czechia, where only around 8% of adolescents re- port seeking similar help. The data points to a relatively strong openness among Maltese youth to external support structures when digital life affects mental health. A European outlier Taken together, the findings present Malta as a consistent outlier in the European digital landscape. It combines relatively low weekend screen exposure with unusually high optimism among adolescents and the highest parental awareness of online risks in the EU. At the same time, Maltese families are more likely to respond to digital incidents with rule changes and supervision adjustments, while still maintaining a generally non-alarmist view of technol- ogy. The result is a model shaped less by restriction or anxiety, and more by moderate use, high trust, and responsive in- tervention — placing Malta at both ends of key European digi- tal wellbeing indicators. Reproting by James Debono JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt One of Malta's oldest railway buildings could soon be given a new lease of life, with plans filed to transform the historic Notabile Train Station in Rabat into a veterinary clinic A rendering of what the Notabile Train Station looked like