Iconic Mdina view threatened by Ta’ Qali sports complex

A sports village whose sprawl will be as large as 30 football grounds, could eliminate the iconic view of Mdina as seen from the Durumblat Road. 

The sports village on land which is partly occupied by the disused Flower Power nursery in Ta’ Qali, will include a hotel, full-size rugby pitch and two football pitches, five tennis courts, as well as a health club and indoor sports complex, training grounds, underground car park and retail area. 

Its propopents are  Mediterranean Flower Products, owned by Australian nationals John Paul Sammut and Michael Spiteri, and a number of UK based companies. 

Over 400 objections have been submitted against the development. 

A photomontage requested by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage shows the project will result in the complete elimination of the iconic view of Mdina and Mtarfa from Triq id-Durumblat.  

Reacting to the photomontages, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage warned that the project would eradicate the long-standing visual relationship of Mdina with its surroundings, which is of considerable social historical importance. The Superintendence concluded that this would result in a “major loss to the cultural heritage”. 

The Superintendence warned that the change of use of an extensive area from agricultural to recreational and commercial use, constituted a significant change of the cultural landscape, and said this was considered not desirable. It called for the existing open agricultural areas in their present form to be preserved without any addition of built-up structures. 

The Planning Authority’s own advisory committee on design issues also expressed concern on the visual impact and light pollution due to height of proposed light poles. It recommended that the proposed buildings should not be scattered all over the site but should be regrouped towards the Durumblat end of the site, so as to maintain the openness of the site. 

Although the site is outside development zones, the Ta’ Qali Action Plan foresees a change of use of the area from agriculture and horticulture use, to recreational or sport purposes. 

But the plan bans residential, office and retail development on the site, and only allows built-up structures ancillary to the sports facilities on the northeastern part of the site.