Today, a number of organisations, communities, and members of the public gathered on Manoel Island for the launch of the campaign Manoel Island: A Place for Us.
The campaign’s launch was was a celebration of Manoel Island as an open space where diverse groups and communities come together – a green space for families and friends, a place of recreation and rest in the heart of Malta’s most urbanised region. The campaign’s goal is for this to remain Manoel Island’s reality, by returning it to the people as a national park, the organisers said.
The campaign’s main demands are being presented through a Parliamentary Petition, and the public is being encouraged to sign and share it here: https://parlament.mt/en/petition?id=257
This dream was born from the people’s deep yearning for open spaces where they can roam freely, for community spaces that support recreational activity, and for green areas that offer both physical and mental relief. The organisations leading this campaign have emphasised that this vision is far from impossible: the year 2025 presents us with a unique opportunity to come together and work towards returning Manoel Island to the people as a public park, a statement by the participants said.
At present, the Government and MIDI are renegotiating the terms of the development contract. The terms of the concession binding MIDI stipulate that 85% of all works on the Manoel Island project must be completed by March 2026. As of now, MIDI does not yet have full permission to commence construction works, the statement said. The possibility of completing the project within one year is increasingly being seen as impossible. For this reason, the campaign insists that this moment of contract renegotiation opens a window of opportunity – an opportunity to develop a plan for Manoel Island that truly reflects the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s communities.
The context our country finds itself in today is drastically different from 25 years ago, when Manoel Island was handed over to private developers to be turned into luxury residences, commercial outlets, and tourist facilities. The lack of open spaces, the ever-increasing urbanisation of our country, and the privatisation of public land – which have come to define our national landscape – are realities that can no longer be ignored. The people want, and need, a shift in direction – in our planning and in how we use our common spaces. The people deserve a future in which the Maltese Islands are places where communities can thrive and have the opportunity to lead healthy lives.
Manoel Island is of national importance, and this is why the campaign is being taken to a national level. But we must come together and act swiftly, the activists urged. The campaign is bringing together a broad coalition of organisations and communities from all walks of life – including residents’ associations from different localities, environmental groups, advocates for cultural, historical heritage and social justice, and organisations promoting physical and mental health – united behind one dream: for Manoel Island to become a public park.
Today was a day meant to sow hope – hope in the possibility of a different future: one where Manoel Island becomes a public park that is enjoyed by all. If we unite and work together, Manoel Island can become a green lung in Malta’s most polluted and urbanised area. A public park on the Mediterranean seafront, where people can lounge on grass and swim with the spectacular views of Valletta as their backdrop. An open space protected by the majestic bastions of Fort Manoel, under the shadow of the Knights’ historic and cultural legacy.
The activists made an appeal to all those interested in joining the campaign to get in touch, and encouraged the public to see this campaign as an opportunity for the people to rediscover their capacity to dream – to dream of a better future for themselves and their children.
In reply, MIDI plc said that the claim that the development of Manoel Island is at a crossroad and that the opportunity exists to terminate MIDI’s concession is false and misleading. The declaration that the completion date for the development of Manoel Island was March 2023 fails to take into account the provisions of the Deed which clearly state that the time for the performance of MIDI’s obligations is automatically extended in case of delays associated with the issue of full development permits, in case of delays associated with archaeological finds and in case of delays caused by any event or circumstance outside MIDI’s control.
The delays encountered are clearly documented and include the delays associated with the archaeological finds which necessitated the complete redesign of the masterplan, delays associated the approval of development permits including the abusive appeal lodged by the FAA and most recently the delays associated with the requirement to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment.
The revised Masterplan for Manoel Island was approved by the Planning Authority during September 2021 and the vexatious appeal made by the FAA was rejected by the EPRT on 10 January 2023 and eventually the FAA’s appeal was thrown out by the Court of Appeal on 10 May 2023, MIDI said. This Masterplan is therefore definitively approved and is not subject to further appeal. Furthermore, in view of the fact that Manoel Island was recently included in the buffer zone for Valletta, in March 2024 the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) and the National World Heritage Technical Committee deemed that it would be appropriate to undertake a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) in order to ensure that the Manoel Island development does not negatively impact the UNESCO world heritage status of Valletta. The HIA was prepared by an internationally recognised consultant on the basis of Terms of Reference issued by the SCH during April 2024 and in accordance with principles set out in the UNESCO guidelines. The processing of the HIA is ongoing and the full development application for Manoel Island will only be considered once this process is concluded.
The Masterplan definitively approved in 2023 aims to preserve the heritage buildings while creating a new destination for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. This Masterplan contemplates a significant reduction in the development compared to the development originally contemplated in the Deed. The gross floor area of the development has been reduced from 135,000sqm to 95,000sqm, with the new buildings covering less than 8% of MIDI’s concession. While the open spaces have increased to 175,000sqm covering more than 60% of the concession.
The public open spaces include an 80,000sqm Glacis Park surrounding Fort Manoel, which will be transformed into a public park where families can picnic, go for walks, or simply enjoy the peace and tranquillity that this destination offers. Additionally, a 35,000sqm public open space has been created in the heart of the development, which extends from the entrance of the Island to the Lazzaretto quay. This latter area will include an indigenous garden, a meditation garden and a landscaped area to create a plaza centred around the Customs House and the Cattle Shed providing a destination for the enjoyment of the public. Furthermore, MIDI said it will develop facilities for the benefit of the local community, including a full-size football pitch for Gzira United FC, a Bocci Club and the existing slipway will be upgraded for the benefit of the local fishing and boating enthusiasts.
To ensure that the rights of the public are safeguarded, the Gzira Local Council and MIDI have established the Manoel Island Foundation with the specific purpose of acting as guardian on matters of public interest, including access to the foreshore, the protection of the heritage buildings and the provision of public open spaces. This cooperation with the local council is already bearing fruit as Manoel Island has become increasingly popular with visitors coming for a simple stroll or to access the foreshore to benefit from the extensive bathing areas. In 2024 the number of visitors recorded exceeded 240,000, the company said.
“The campaign fails to recognise that the development of Manoel Island will create accessible public open spaces totalling 175,000sqm, which are to be developed at MIDI’s sole cost. These public open spaces, equivalent to more than 60% of MIDI’s concession, together with the access to the swimming areas along the foreshore will ensure that Manoel Island will truly be a destination for the enjoyment of the general public”, MIDI said.