The government has decided to turn the abandoned White Rocks complex into one of the largest sports and leisure facilities in southern Europe. The plan is intended to complement the Maghtab site once it is rehabilitated into a family park. The White Rocks Sports and Leisure Village will see a €200 million foreign direct investment and is promising to create at least 800 new jobs. This image is an artistic impression of the finished project.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday announced a €200 million foreign direct investment which will turn White Rocks into a sports and leisure village.

Describing it as “one of the largest foreign investments in Maltese history”, Dr Gonzi said the investors are committed to creating at least 800 new jobs.

“This will be a leap in quality in every sense,” he noted.

The government had received several proposals for real estate development of the area but believed that creating a sports complex with facilities for families was the best option.

“This is only the start of the project and there is still a long way to go,” he said while being optimistic that the project will attract sports tourism.

“I am visualising a national project with the potential to completely transform the whole dynamics of Maltese sport,” said a visibly excited and almost out of breath Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport, Clyde Puli.

This is a unique opportunity for us and it is a model for the future, he added. It will be increasing the number of sports facilities in our country and meanwhile incorporate the House of Sports: office space, meeting rooms and conference facilities for sports associations. He noted complaints of sports associations who said Maltese athletes had certain talent and calibre up till the age of 14 but were then constrained to choose between sports and academic disciplines.

“This is our chance to develop the talent of tomorrow’s elite by offering training and helping them develop to the maximum,” he said.

Mr Puli described the White Rocks Sports and Leisure Village as Malta’s first sports college. Moreover, it will be having a positive ripple effect on a number of economic sectors, particularly the hospitality sector, services and commerce.

Pointing out this was only the start of an “adventure”, he said this will not be the only good news over the weeks ahead.

In comments to The Malta Independent after the press conference, he explained the negotiating phase with developers is expected to last a number of months, during which development applications will be filed before the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. The project is intended to be completed within five years after permits are issued.

Caspar Gibbons, on behalf of White Rocks Holding Company (WRHCL), which will be designing, constructing and operating the village, spoke of the way forward. The company is operating alongside its financing partner, Resolution Property plc, a major UK real estate fund.

Giving details on the finance structure, Mr Gibbons said formal negotiations with the government commence following yesterday’s announcement. All projects of feasibility, including design, costing, planning negotiations for the emphyteusis and ancillary project management, will be discussed. Consultation with stakeholders will also take place.

Costs for the formal negotiations phase, estimated to run in the region of €6 million, will be met by the shareholders of the company. He confirmed the construction phase cost will be €200 million at minimum and will be financed from funds generated outside Malta. The company’s return will be generated from the commercial and leisure facilities, the hotel and multi-ownership components of the development.

Meanwhile the ongoing management and maintenance costs of the sports facilities will be offset by sponsorship and commercial sports-specific revenue. The company will provide for any shortfall if this revenue does not cover full operational costs.

He promised that from the date of completion, the sports facilities will be the property of Maltese people.

Prof. Neil Taylor, Senior Partner of FaulknerBrowns Architects and WRHCL design team leader said the proposed scheme integrates sports facilities, living, shopping, and leisure to establish a true day visitor attraction and secure year-round sustainable success.

“Our role is to create a vision for the future of White Rocks that will sit alongside the very best and most innovative developments in Europe,” he said.

FaulknerBrowns have designed major international sports-led schemes throughout Europe. It has a 140-designer team in the UK, 75 per cent of whom have direct experience and expertise in the design of complex sports-led regeneration schemes.

The press conference was attended by a number of government MPs including Education Minister Dolores Cristina, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, and parliamentary secretaries Jason Azzopardi and Mario de Marco, as well as several sports organisations.

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The village will include:

Rugby/multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose outdoor stadium, multi-purpose training pitches, tennis complex, beach sports facilities, and a BMX outdoor track

Multi-purpose indoor facility to host 15 simultaneous training sessions of different sports disciplines

Basketball, volleyball, fencing, table tennis, table football, snooker, billiards, pool, handball, judo and other martial arts will be housed

Sports Science Centre – to enhance local and foreign athletes’ performance and monitor rehabilitation of injured athletes

House of Sport – office space, shared meeting rooms and conference facilities;

Family park – landscaped parklands and pedestrian areas, outdoor gym, adventure park, a walking and jogging track and a cycling track

A multi-ownership complex including a minimum 200-room four-star hotel and a maximum of 300 residential accommodation units

Commercial and leisure facilities mostly situated underground below family park

Car parking facilities to support activities on site