A private Zabbar scrapyard is being turned into an industrial zone a short distance from where SmartCity Malta is to be built, parliamentary secretary Edwin Vassallo said. It will have over 70 garages which will be fully equipped, each covering between 120 and 200 square metres.

The development will cost some e4.5 million and six other areas will be similarly developed in Malta and Gozo – two at Ghaxaq, and one each at Naxxar, Mgarr, Mellieha and Gozo.

In all the new zones will take up 80 acres of land which lay outside building schemes and was included in a partial review of the structure plan. Garage owners need not apply individually at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for a planning permit.