St Paul's Bay is set to get a new community service centre after a tract of land in the heart of the locality was handed over to the local council by the government as part of a devolution agreement.

The Ministry for the Arts and the Implementation of the Electoral Program, represented by Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli, presided over the signing of a devolution agreement between the Lands Authority and the Local Council of St. Paul's Bay.

Thanks to this agreement, government-owned land in the heart of St. Paul's Bay has been transferred to the Local Council to establish a community service centre.

Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi explained that this agreement will not only be of significant benefit to the residents of this locality but will also provide substantial assistance to the Local Council in its work for residents. Through this agreement, the Local Council will save thousands of euros annually in rent, thanks to the capping scheme on the annual rent payments of public properties managed by the Land Authority, up to a maximum of €500 per year.

Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi further stated that throughout 2023, 32 devolution agreements have been made for government-owned properties between the Lands Authority and various Local Councils, in addition to the renewal of 38 existing agreements. During the same year, the Lands Authority also approved 80 ‘no objection in principle’ requests for various projects from Local Councils.

"This all underscores the continuous support that the Lands Authority provides to Local Councils to ensure that they continue to carry out projects for the benefit of residents in Malta and Gozo," Zrinzo Azzopardi said.

On her part, Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli explained that through the scheme facilitating the devolution of land to local councils, the St. Paul's Bay Local Council will benefit from a plot of land for the construction of a building that will provide various services to the community of St. Paul's Bay. She emphasized that without this devolution scheme, such a project would have been challenging for the local council due to the substantial investment required for land space alone.

"This project is a clear example of the fruit that this scheme is bearing and how the government will continue to support local councils, ensuring that they carry out projects and initiatives for the benefit of all residents," she said.

Mayor of St. Paul's Bay Alfred Grima expressed his satisfaction with this achievement, explaining that after several meetings and work by the Council, this agreement has been reached.

The land proposed for the establishment of this centre is approximately 1,200 square metres, with 720 square metres of this potentially being built.

This land was identified by the Lands Authority upon the request of the same Council due to its central position on St. George Street in the heart of the locality. Currently, St. Paul's Bay is the largest locality in Malta and Gozo, and therefore this building will become one of the largest local centres, providing parking for increased accessibility to residents.