Momentum warns Manoel Island padel court recommendation rewards illegal development

The party Momentum has criticised the Planning Authority case officer’s recommendation to sanction 20 illegally built padel courts on Manoel Island through a €900 fine, arguing that the move rewards illegal development while ignoring thousands of people who supported turning the island into a national park.

In a statement, Momentum expressed disappointment at the recommendation, with election candidate Matthew Agius warning that the decision sends “a dangerous message.”

“Once again, this recommendation sends a dangerous message: that certain businessmen in Malta can break planning laws first and request to legalise everything later with a symbolic fine,” Agius said.

“A €900 penalty is an insult when these padel courts can generate that amount in revenue in a single day,” he added.

Momentum said that the recommendation disregards the nearly 30,000 people who signed a petition calling for Manoel Island to be transformed into a national park.

The party also referred to concerns surrounding the Valletta UNESCO buffer zone, light pollution, traffic impacts and the site’s cultural and environmental importance.

“This is exactly why this election matters. Malta needs real change. We cannot continue accepting a system where illegal development is rewarded, public demands are ignored, and cultural heritage is treated as an obstacle instead of something that deserves to be protected,” Agius said.

Momentum said it had supported activists campaigning on Manoel Island from the beginning, noting that a protest related to the island was the first demonstration attended by the party following its establishment.

The party said it believes that public spaces should belong to the public, and not to speculation and backdoor regularisation of illegalities.

Momentum also encouraged people who signed the Manoel Island petition, as well as those concerned about Malta’s heritage and environment, to “use their vote wisely,” the statement said.

 

RSS Feed Source: Independent Malta Momentum warns Manoel Island padel court recommendation rewards illegal development