Parliament has finally given the go-ahead for the expansion of Malta International Airport's apron through a parliamentary resolution passed on Wednesday evening. Tourism Minister KonradMizzi proposed the resolution to enforce an earlier decision by parliament to expand the runway.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Audit Office Accounts Committee, Mizzi explained that in 2010 the government had agreed to allow MIA to manage land owned by Malta Industrial Parks, in order to extend the apron. This managerial agreement however was never implemented, Mizzi said.

Mizzi said that increased airport traffic has resulted in MIA needing to manage such land in order to expand the apron.

Back in February MIA had been granted approval by the Planning Authority for a €100 million master plan that will extend its terminal and surrounding campus. The approval gives the company the green light to proceed to the planning stage of its forward-looking investment programme, which will be executed in three major phases.

Works on the construction of a multi-storey car park providing more than 1,300 parking spaces are expected to start towards the last quarter of 2018.The master plan also provides for the construction of SkyParks II, which will house office and retail space and a business hotel.