The Naxxar Local Council never took an official position on a proposed development at the former trade fair grounds, despite saying that the embattled mayor’s position on the matter reflected its own position.

Council meeting minutes show, in fact, that the Council was far from agreement on the proposed large-scale development, when the matter was discussed on 27 October of last year.

Nationalist mayor Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adami is resisting calls to step down and is facing an ethics probe from her own party. This after it was revealed that she had a conflict of interest after it emerged that she is a company secretary in a company owned by the project architect, Edwin Mintoff. The mayor had voted in favour of the project during a Planning Authority meeting.

On Wednesday, the local council sent a press release saying it had approved a motion in which it defended the mayor. It said that the mayor’s PA vote “reflected the position taken by the Council” and which had been communicated on more than one occasion.

It also said the mayor has a duty to vote according to the wishes of the Council and, if she had voted against the project, she would have gone against the Council’s position. The Council also said that it had taken its position on the proposed development after holding several consultation meetings with residents.

But sources pointed out that the Council had never actually taken an official position on the proposed development.

Minutes from the 27 October meeting show that, while it was deemed important for the Council to take a stand on the planning application, no vote was taken. In fact, some councillors had voiced concerns over the height of the project during that meeting.  

According to the minutes, the Council agreed to tell the PA that it did not want the development to be too high and that any proposed green areas would be retained and maintained.

In fact, in a representation letter that was subsequently sent to the PA, the Council said that, while most of its concerns had been addressed by the new applicant, “it still has the concern of height”.

“One needs to appreciate that this development is very close to the Urban Conservation Area and therefore the Council would preferably see a lower development. Furthermore, the Council insists that in order for the developer to comply on a long-term with the eventual approved plans, including greenery included in the visuals, a reasonable guarantee needs to be imposed by the PA.”

The above clearly shows that the Council never took a clear stand in favour of the project. Yet, in a motion approved this week, the Council said that the mayor’s vote in favour of the project reflected the Council’s decision.

Curiously, the motion in defence of the Nationalist mayor was moved by the Labour minority leader, Marion Brincat.

Sources said the PL councillors were only backing the mayor to drive a wedge between her and the PN, in view of the ethics probe and the call for her resignation.

Furthermore, the motion was not approved unanimously. In fact, one of the PN councillors voted against, while two others abstained.

Sources said that the fact that the Nationalist mayor is being backed not by her own party but by the Labour councillors was “very telling”.

It was also pointed out that, while the Council press release gave the impression that the residents were largely in favour of the project, this was not the case.

The Council said in its press release that it had formed its position after holding several meetings with residents. But a social impact assessment had found that 63% of residents did not like having a medium-rise development in their locality.

Ghaqda Kulturali Wirt Naxxar said in December it was “shocked, saddened and concerned by the Council’s decision in favour of the development”. It said that, instead of listening to the majority of residents, who were against the project, the Council ignored them, setting a dangerous precedent.

The proposed two-tower complex will house 136 residential units, one of nine floors with a receded top floor and the other seven floors and a receded top floor. There will be a four-storey underground car park, a gymnasium and spa with indoor pool.

At ground floor, the development will consist of 12 shops, two restaurants and cafeterias, one bar and a childcare centre.

The project is proposed by San Pawl tat-Targa Investments, which owns the site.

The project was recommended for approval by the PA case officer, despite strong objections by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, particularly due to the impact on long distance views, including those of Mosta dome.