The Tourism Ministry has entered into an agreement with Pembroke Athleta Sports Club under which the club is being granted land on emphyteusis for 49 years.

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said the land occupied 9,000 square metres, part of it was neglected, and another part was used as a road and parking area. It will be transformed into a garden by the club, and would take in part of the parade ground, so that it would extend from near the Institute for Tourism Studies to close to the sea.

The plans include a cycle track, a restructuring of the sentry paths to create an area for cycles, walking and jogging, and a garigue heritage park. Madliena Tower and other small structures from the British period would be restored.

The work involved heavy investment and last September the Tourism Authority had applied for European funds for the area to be developed as a Natura 2000 site.