Updated | MEPA chief executive's office chose Zonqor site for American University

The Co-ordination unit of the Office of the MEPA's  Chief Executive Officer Johann Buttigieg was responsible for the preliminary assessment which deemed the ODZ site in Iz-Zonqor as "acceptable" for the development of the proposed American Univerity campus.

When asked to provide MaltaToday with a copy of the study, a MEPA spokesperson explained that the preliminary assessment study consisted of a desktop study aimed at finding a site which conformed to clear specifications.

"The site has to be in the south of the Island, with a half of the required site to be in government ownership. The site cannot be in a protected area and it has to be serviced well by existing infrastructure including roads, drainage and water and electricity".  

Only one other site conformed to these specifications, Fort St Leonard and the adjacent fields. 

"The impact on the fort was deemed to be considerable, and the fort in question is one of the few remaining forts that are still within the natural landscape. Furthermore, this site is not well served with the necessary infrastructure," the MEPA spokesperson said.

A full site selection exercise will be carried out as part of the environmental impact assessment after a project description statement is submitted for MEPA’s evaluation. “Discussions have been ongoing between the government, the authority and the Sadeen Group,” the spokesperson said.

In a reaction, the PN said MEPA had breached its own policy by accommodating the Jordanian investors Sadeen Group to build their university on virgin and agricultural land.

“It is inexplicable how the MEPA chief executive’s office decides to earmark an ODZ site for development, without the necessary studies. It is obvious that the decision has been taken, and the studies being carried out now are for show,” MPs Marthese Portelli and Ryan Callus said.

“No other sites are beind considerd, and this decision is irresponsible of the MEPA chief executive, because it prejudices the application process.”

The two MPs said MEPA’s demerger into planning and environmental units was useless “when it already ignores its environmental role.”

“MEPA should serve all citizens and future generations, not act as a Labour canvasser. We expect whoever took this decision to say whether they were forced to do so, and by whom. MEPA is under the prime minister’s responsibility, and Joseph Muscat has to answer for this decision.”

The government and the Jordanian group Sadeen yesterday signed a heads of agreement for the setting up of the American University of Malta. The agreement was signed at Castille by Economic Services Minister Chris Cardona and Hani Saleh, who has teamed up with DePaul University of Chicago for the project.

Land near Marsaskala in the area known as Zonqor Point has been earmarked for the €115 million campus for 4,000 students. The land near the old national pool at Marsascala will be upgraded as part of the project.

The government is also proposing a 450-tumoli national natural park in Marsascala, which will include the foreshore and the area adjacent to the zone earmarked for the AUM.