A building in the Imrieħel area which was formerly used as a mill will be formally transferred to the Birkirkara Local Council following an agreement signed between the Lands Authority and the same council.

Lands Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Alison Zerafa Civelli announced this on Friday, during a site visit where the devolution agreement was signed.

Zrinzo Azzopardi said that thanks to this agreement the Birkirkara Local Council will be able to start a restoration and renovation project to restore the building's prestige, and make it available for various activities for the Birkirkara community.

He explained that it will also benefit from the capping scheme on rent, announced earlier this year. Through this scheme, the rent for the building will be reduced to just €500 per year instead of the actual rental value, which was €4,046.

The remaining funds will be in the Council's hands, and can be used for other projects in the locality.

“As a government, we are working to preserve and maintain these historic buildings while finding ways to repurpose them for the benefit of the communities,” Zrinzo Azzopardi said.

He said that discussions with other Local Councils and organizations are ongoing on how public land that can potentially be repurposed for the community's good.

Zerafa Civelli said that this building, which was originally a mill, but was abandoned over time, will be brought back to life through this project. She said that this demonstrates the government's trust in local councils.

“Although this place will not be used as a mill again, it will be renovated into a space for the use of Birkirkara organisations,” she said.

Mayor of the Birkirkara Joanne Debono Grech expressed her satisfaction with the devolution agreement that was signed.