In reaction to the government announcement on the American University of Malta, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: "While it is positive that part of the campus will be sited in the former Dock number 1, it is unacceptable that 18,000 square meters of ODZ land will be taken up. Saying that garigue land is abandoned is very misleading, since garigue land is per se naturally an area of natural importance. If necessary the garigue land can be restored and nature will take care of the rest.
Carmel Cacopardo Deputy Chairman and spokesman on Sustainable Development added that the identified Bormla campus in addition to being a positive decision will also encourage the rehabilitation of areas surrounding the Dock. The development of ODZ land at Zonqor, concluded Cacopardo, is not only unacceptable in principle. By placing the residential area (dormitory) of the University at Zonqor there will be undesirable impacts on the Marsaskala residents similar to that experienced by Swieqi residents as a result of the presence there of students of English.
For its part, the Malta Developers Association welcomes with satisfaction the American University of Malta project and notes that the Government took on board its suggestions, when it drew its attention that too much pristine land (90,000 m2) were to be used for this project.
With this final decision, as announced by the Government, a tangible compromise has been reached. Through the negotiated efforts, the intelligent use of land and public property have been achieved. This minimises the environmental impact and helps to achieve a regeneration of an abandoned and neglected property in Cospicua as well as creating a modern centre of learning in Marsascala, which is to be built on government land earmarked for development and taking up only 18,000 m2 of adjacent land.
The MDA said this is a project that, without doubt, will leave a highly positive social impact on the people of this area. This would mean that the quality of life of society in the south of Malta will improve.
Despite all this, the MDA will be on the look-out to ensure that this project will be solely for the purpose of a university and not a residential or commercial project. The MDA therefore insists with the Government that the conditions imposed in the contract should be respected and not leave any room for public land to be used for speculative purposes.