The Planning Authority has approved a land reclamation project along the St Julian's promenade, paving the way for the San Ġiljan Aquatic Sports Club to build an international-standard water polo facility extending into the sea.

The project, which was approved by 10 votes to one, will reclaim approximately 2,230 square metres of seabed between Balluta Bay and Spinola Bay. NGO representative Romano Cassar was the only Planning Board member to vote against the proposal, arguing that it conflicts with policies protecting the coastal zone.

The development will include a main competition pool built to international standards, enabling Malta to host international water polo competitions. Other facilities will include a training pool, a children's pool, deck areas, changing rooms, a gym, committee rooms, technical facilities and other ancillary amenities.

The project also incorporates two restaurants-one at promenade level and another at deck level with outdoor seating. However, project architect Edwin Mintoff stressed that the catering facilities will remain ancillary to the sports complex, noting that their combined floor area will be the same as that of the club's existing restaurant.

Construction is expected to take around two years. During this period, only the section of the promenade immediately adjacent to the club will be closed to swimmers and bathers.

The revised design significantly reduces the environmental impact of the original 2019 proposal. Direct loss of protected Posidonia seagrass has been reduced by around 80%, with approximately 197 square metres of habitat now expected to be affected after the deck area was scaled back.

The project nevertheless includes a 148-square-metre bullnose-shaped breakwater, which is expected to have the greatest remaining impact on the protected seagrass through shading and changes to water movement.

Mintoff said the breakwater will remain accessible to the public and is primarily intended to reduce wave action, protect the facility and serve as a navigational marker through the installation of lighting. While the current application does not include boat moorings, he acknowledged that a separate application could be submitted in the future.

During the Planning Board meeting, St Julian's resident and environmental policy academic Marguerite Camilleri expressed support for the water polo club but questioned the need to extend the development into the bay, describing it as a "sea grab". She also raised concerns about the loss of views from the promenade and questioned whether the project had adequately considered the long-term impacts of climate change and rising sea levels.

"How much space on our beaches can we afford to continue losing?" she asked, urging the Planning Authority to assess the climate resilience of major developments. Executive Chairperson Johann Buttigieg replied that such assessments do not fall within the authority's remit.

Responding to these concerns, project consultant Joe Bugeja said the facility had been designed using wave modelling specific to Balluta Bay.

According to the case officer's report, the revised proposal substantially reduces the impact on protected marine habitats compared with the original application.

The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) concluded that the amendments had lowered the project's environmental impact from major to minor-to-moderate and therefore raised no objection, subject to a number of environmental conditions.

However, ERA noted that the remaining land reclamation will still affect Posidonia seagrass through shading and scouring. It also warned that some changes to wave conditions identified in the original environmental assessment will remain, although the smaller platform will lessen the project's visual impact.

The case officer also noted that the commercial element has been reduced compared with previous proposals and concluded that the project complies with coastal planning policies, preserves public access along the shoreline and should be approved subject to conditions.

Founded in 1949 as the Balluta Water Polo Club, the San Ġiljan Aquatic Sports Club is one of Malta's most successful water polo clubs, having won 14 Premier Division championships and 16 Knock Out titles. It most recently secured both the 2025 Premier Division championship and the 2026 Winter League.

Despite its success, the club currently lacks a permanent pool that can be used when rough sea conditions make training and competitive matches impossible. The new facility is intended to address that long-standing limitation.