The government is confident that the American University of Malta will “achieve its targets within the established timeframes as set in the public contract,” Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has told this newspaper.

Muscat was asked to state whether he agreed with recent comments made by PL MP Glenn Bedingfield, who has come out against proposed developments by AUM at Cospicua’s Dock 1.

The MP, who had previously been one of the leading voices in favour of the project, has said that the fledgling university should not be allowed to build on all open spaces. He also said that AUM does not need to build a dorm – which would take up several parking spaces in Cospicua – for a “dozen” students.

Cospicua mayor Alison Zerafa Civelli said she disagreed with Bedingfield’s comments and said she is informed that AUM currently has around 120 students. Questions sent to AUM asking how many students it has enrolled have yet to be answered.

AUM had applied for a number of projects in the area, with the most controversial one being a multi-storey dormitory building and underlying car car park on Triq San Pawl, on the approaches to Senglea. The proposed building would have five floors above ground, one of which would be a car park and the rest comprising of 120 bedrooms, and a swimming pool at roof level. The car park would have another three underground levels.

It also plans to renovate and extend the Knights building. The building, which will comprise of several classrooms, laboratories, offices and ancillary facilities, would see an extra floor added at roof level and would also be extended on its Senglea side. The new wing is proposed to be constructed in a modern style, using steel beams and glass.

Another proposal is for the construction of a new administration building between the British building and the Knights building. The proposal entails the uprooting of two trees but the applicants say an existing concrete stairway, which was built as part of the Dock 1 renovation project, will be retained.

MP Bedingfield said residents are concerned by overdevelopment and the take-up of hundreds of parking spaces, concerns that are also shared by the surrounding local councils.

The Malta Independent asked other District 2 MPs whether they shared Glenn Bedingfield’s concerns about the pending planning applications and his doubts on AUM’s apparent inability to attract the desired number of students.

Speaking as an MP, Joseph Muscat said: “All comments and submissions about the infrastructural works of any investment will be considered by the independent planning process. Government is confident that AUM will achieve its targets within the established timeframes as set in the public contract.”

Similar comments were given by Energy Minister Joe Mizzi and the Parliamentary Secretary for the property market, Chris Agius – both district MPs.

“Decisions about the University’s planned dormitory will be taken by the PA following relevant studies and consultations and Minister Joe Mizzi has full confidence in the negotiations being carried out by the Maltese Government,” a spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for PS Agius said he “trusts the negotiations between Government and AUM in order for the latter to finalize the entire project by the year 2025 and to attract the stipulated number of students in successive years.”

The AUM project has been controversial from the start since AUM was to be given a huge tract of virgin land on which they would build their sprawling campus - enough to accommodate some 4,000 students. The government’s initial choice of location was at Zonqor Point in Marsascala, where a huge parcel of ODZ land would be given to the Jordanian investors to build their campus.

After the public outcry(and a few protests, the government announced that the Zonqor campus would be scaled down and that AUM would be given another site at Cospicua’s Dock 1. According to AUM, the Cospicua campus would cater for around 1,000 students.

The government had said that, should AUM not reach its student capacity, the Zonqor land would not be developed.

The application for the Knights building and administration building will be decided by the Planning Authority on 12 September. The case officer, however, has recommended that the application for the dormitory be filed separately.