Cottonera residents and other activists on Sunday morning held a protest against plans by the American University of Malta to extend its footprint in Cospicua.
The protest was organised by the group ‘Action: Give us back our land’, a non-partisan organisation. The group said Cottonera residents were "very concerned" that the application for the AUM extension was still being recommended for approval by the Planning Authority case officer and that no new plans were submitted by the applicant as requested before next week’s session.
Addressing those present, Joseph Tonna, from Senglea said: "Our blood was shed on these walls. We will not give up. We have been taken over by Jordanians. No developer whether Maltese or foreign has the right to touch our city unless to make it more beautiful."
Tonna said that following a meeting he had at Castille this week he was hopeful that the government and the PA would understand the residents' anger.
The Maċina, he said, should remain an open area with access to the public. Instead of a dormitory with a swimming pool, there should be a public garden over a three- or four-storey car park.
Dione Caruana who lives in Gozo but is from Cospicua, said Cottonera has only three open spaces: “the stairs near the lift, the Maċina car park, and the area where they are proposing the building of the dormitory will all be taken up with the extension.”
The PA has postponed its decision on the expansion to 21 November. However, it has expressed itself against the proposed development which has been recommended for approval by the Planning Directorate.
The AUM is seeking to build an administration block between the Knight’s Building and il-Maċina, a dormitory closer to Senglea and to restore and expand the Knight's building.
Present for the activity, among others, was Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield, who has spoken out against the AUM plans.
Earlier this week, the group sent an open letter to MPs calling for their support in their quest to save Cottonera.
Former president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca also joined in the chorus against the project.