Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546037
14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 AUGUST 2026 NEWS 117-room elderly home proposed overlooking Speranza Valley in Mosta A seven-storey residential home for the elderly that will house 236 residents is being proposed on a committed site overlook- ing Speranza Valley in Mosta. The home will replace a row of existing garages on a site that was added to the development boundaries in 2006. The application, presented by architect Darren Ciantar on behalf of Ciantar Properties Ltd, foresees the demolition of the existing garages, excavation of the 1,739sq.m site, the con- struction of three underground parking levels and seven floors above ground, including one re- ceded level. The site lies on the periphery of Mosta, directly overlooking a valley system which is sched- uled for its ecological impor- tance. Part of the site was incor- porated into the development zone in 2006, while a zoning ap- plication approved in 2024 had already established parameters allowing a five-storey residen- tial development on the site. The existing garages were completely regularised in 2005 when the Planning Authority overturned two previous deci- sions not to sanction the ille- gal development because of the sensitivity of the site. Under the approved zoning parameters, the part of the site overlooking the valley must be recessed by three metres from the development boundary. This would leave a strip of pri- vate open space between the building and the valley edge, intended to provide a transition between the built-up area and the rural landscape. The Mosta local council had objected to the zoning express- ing concern on the significant increase in height that would drastically alter the visual land- scape of the area. The proposed development is being assessed against planning policies which allow residential institutions, including homes for the elderly, in residential areas. Such facilities are also entitled to additional height al- lowances compared to standard residential development. Old people's homes located outside the ODZ are permitted an additional two floors under planning rules. This provision allows the proposed facility to rise above the five-storey residential height established through the previous zoning decision. The project comes as demand for elderly care facilities contin- ues to increase due to Malta's ageing population. However, developments on the edge of development zones overlook- ing scheduled valleys have fre- quently raised concerns over the impact on sensitive land- scapes and the transition be- tween urban areas and protect- ed countryside. The Speranza Valley system forms part of Mosta's network of rural valleys, which provide important ecological corridors and contribute to the character of the surrounding landscape. The planning assessment will determine whether the pro- posed scale, height and visual impact of the facility are com- patible with the established planning parameters and the sensitivity of the adjoining val- ley environment. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt The site is highlighted in yellow Former trade fair site masterplan cuts building heights A revised masterplan in a zon- ing application for the former trade fair site in Naxxar pro- poses lowering building heights to seven storeys from nine. Nonetheless, the new plan leaves the overall number of separate apartment blocks un- changed at 39 from the 2024 masterplan version. The zoning application, sub- mitted by Marcus Marshall seven years ago, seeks to es- tablish the planning param- eters for the redevelopment of the 53,550sq.m site, which is currently a vacant develop- ment zone.The latest plans limit buildings to a maximum height of seven storeys, or 25 metres. The proposed develop- ment includes four seven-sto- rey blocks, five six-storey blocks, 10 five-storey blocks, nine four-storey blocks and 11 three-storey blocks. The revised height profile replaces the taller elements included in 2024, which pro- posed residential structures of eight and nine storeys. The revised zoning applica- tion also removes a proposed hotel block that had featured in the 2024 version. The latest plans instead focus on residen- tial units, supported by office space and retail. The layout includes a central pedestrian path/public open space, with commercial activ- ity planned at ground-floor level in selected blocks and sports-related facilities pro- posed on some rooftops. The former trade fair site has been earmarked for redevel- opment for several years, with successive master plans pro- posing different approaches to the development of the exten- sive area. A 2019 zoning proposal had envisaged 47 blocks ranging between one and six floors, while the 2024 version moved towards fewer blocks but taller structures. If approved, the zoning pa- rameters would still need to be followed up by separate plan- ning applications for individual buildings before construction can proceed. Reporting by James Debono The latest plans instead focus on residential units, supported by office space and retail