ADPD - the Green Party has warned that Marsascala is becoming a "warning sign" of what happens when coastal communities are treated as financial assets rather than places for people to live, as concerns continue to grow over the future of the former Jerma Palace site.
Speaking during a press conference near St Thomas Tower, overlooking the abandoned Jerma Palace Hotel, the party said that the debate surrounding the prominent seafront site reflects a wider national problem driven by speculative development, short-let rentals and overconstruction.
ADPD candidate Brian Decelis, a Marsascala resident who is contesting the third and fourth districts, referred to a recent academic study titled "Tourism, Real Estate, and Urban Pressures: The case of Marsascala, Malta."
The study explored the concept of "real estate-isation," describing how towns increasingly become dominated by speculative property investment and short-term rental markets rather than the needs of residents or sustainable tourism.
According to the study, Marsascala has transformed rapidly from a fishing village into a densely urbanised locality facing mounting pressure on infrastructure, worsening traffic congestion and a decline in residents' quality of life.
Decelis said that the proposed redevelopment of the Jerma site has become the clearest symbol of these tensions.
"Many residents are asking a simple but fundamental question: who is Marsascala being developed for?" he said.
Decelis acknowledged that opinions among residents remain divided.
He said that some believe a high-quality hotel could benefit the local economy and regenerate the derelict site, while others fear another large-scale speculative project that would intensify overdevelopment without delivering meaningful benefits to the community.
ADPD said coastal localities could no longer continue absorbing uncontrolled development while public infrastructure, open spaces and social cohesion deteriorate.
The party insisted residential property should primarily serve as housing rather than investment tools.
As part of its proposals, ADPD is calling for stronger democratic control over short-term rentals, including giving local councils veto powers over permits for holiday lets.
The party said that councils understand the realities and limitations of their communities better than central authorities or developers.
Decelis also proposed that a larger share of tourism-related revenue should be channelled directly to local councils to help fund infrastructure and services affected by tourism activity.
ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci said the party's manifesto promotes a different economic model centred on quality of life, environmental protection, affordable housing and stricter planning policies.
She said that Marsascala requires more public open spaces, safer transport options and stronger protection of its coastline rather than further speculative development.
"The current political system has normalised the idea that every available space exists for development and every locality is simply an opportunity for profit," Gauci said.
She warned that the consequences were already visible across Malta through rising rents, heavier traffic, the erosion of community identity and growing frustration among residents.
Gauci said a vote for ADPD would send a clear message that local communities should take priority over speculative interests and excessive construction.
"Marsascala deserves a future built around people, heritage and quality of life, not the endless expansion of the real estate machine," she said.