Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547002
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 OCTOBER 2026 NEWS Developers discussed outdoor sports policy three years before being drafted A planning policy covering tem- porary outdoor sports facilities on rural land is currently out for public consultation but doc- uments show it was discussed with developers in 2023. The Planning Authority was instructed by then Planning Minister Clint Camilleri on 1 April 2026 to draw up a Plan- ning and Design Framework for Temporary Outdoor Sports Events and Facilities. The draft framework was pub- lished for public consultation in August and runs until 10 Octo- ber. Currently, recreational activi- ties of this sort are not among the kind of development al- lowed in ODZ areas which is mostly limited to agricultural or agritourism activities. The draft policy comes after earlier discussions with devel- opers over a proposal to estab- lish an obstacle course facility on agricultural land at Ta' Qali. More than 70% of the submis- sions received from the public following the announcement of the policy revision expressed support for Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and outdoor sports facilities. Ta' Qali proposal preceded policy But roll back to July 2023 when during a Planning Authority hearing concerning a proposed 39,000sq.m obstacle course at Ta' Qali, architect Colin Zam- mit, representing the develop- ers, asked for the application to be suspended. The reason given was that the developers had held meetings with government officials con- cerning an upcoming policy regulating outdoor sports facil- ities. Minutes of the planning meet- ing state that Zammit informed members that he was request- ing a suspension of the applica- tion until further notice. "The reason being that cur- rently he (the architect) is in discussion with other entities on the formulation of policies and guidance regarding out- door gym proposals," the min- utes stated. PA Executive Chairman Jo- hann Buttigieg had said in the meeting that the authority was not yet notified by the minis- ter to revise or formulate a new policy as is normal practice. "The authority to date has not been officially informed on any revisions or formulation of policies with regards to out- door gym proposals and there- fore there is no justification to accept the request for suspen- sion," the minutes record Butti- gieg saying. The suspension was not grant- ed and the application was sub- sequently withdrawn. Mad Fitness, owned by Dar- ren Desira, later submitted an application for large-scale wa- ter reservoirs on the same site which was approved. The Ta' Qali land identified for the obstacle course is still being tilled by tenant farmers. The original proposal envis- aged an obstacle course accom- panied by the planting of 836 trees, including 154 cypress trees and 114 sandara gums, with two underground reser- voirs for irrigation. A substan- tial part of the site was to be covered in beaten earth for the obstacle course, while other areas were earmarked for an outdoor gym and fitness cen- tre. The entrance would have included hard paving. The proposed policy framework would not allow some of these ancillary elements. It prohibits permanent paving, asphalt and hardstanding, while it also ex- cludes commercial operations, food and beverage outlets such as permanent kiosks or bars, and social or celebratory events such as parties, even when con- nected to sporting activities. Agricultural land remains a key issue The framework nevertheless leaves scope for outdoor sports facilities to be considered on agricultural land in certain cir- cumstances. Good-quality agricultural land is classified as an "inap- propriate location" and cannot be favourably considered un- less explicit clearance is grant- ed by the Agricultural Advisory Committee. The Ta' Qali case is therefore significant because the land identified for the proposed fa- cility remains in agricultural use, despite the earlier propos- al to introduce a large-scale recreational activity on the site. The chronology also means that discussions between devel- opers and government officials over a future outdoor sports policy were taking place almost three years before the minister formally instructed the PA to prepare the framework. Five-year permits The draft policy identifies locations that could receive favourable consideration, in- cluding disused quarries, va- cant livestock farms, pre-1978 non-agricultural committed sites and significantly rural land within 250 metres of of- ficial parking areas in National Parks or the Principal Urban Area. Permits would be issued for a non-renewable period of five years. The temporary nature of the permits is intended to prevent permanent develop- ment, with sports obstacles and equipment required to be fully demountable. Permanent foun- dations and utility connections would not be allowed, although minimal temporary structures for sanitary facilities could be permitted. The framework could never- theless allow organised activi- ties over sizeable areas of rural land for periods of up to five years, raising questions about the cumulative impact of multi- ple facilities. A separate pending application in San Ġwann (PA/01234/26), provides another example of recreational activity being pro- posed on ODZ land. It seeks to sanction fitness activities on a 7,519sq.m field, together with lightweight movable structures and the conversion of an exist- ing agricultural store into show- ers and toilets. Protected areas The framework identifies Nat- ura 2000 sites, garigue, valleys and wetlands as inappropriate locations for outdoor sports fa- cilities. However, they are not subject to an absolute exclu- sion, as the framework allows consideration where the neces- sary clearance is obtained from the Environment and Resources Authority. The consultation therefore raises questions about how tem- porary outdoor sports facilities should be accommodated on ODZ land, particularly where agricultural land is involved. Reporting by James Debono The land in Ta' Qali identified in a 2023 application for an outdoor obstacle course. The applica-tion was withdrawn after the developers said they were in talks with government over a plan-ning policy for temporary outdoor sports facilities