Lands Authority urged to revoke consent for agricultural land development

Żurrieq farmers, supported by numerous organisations and residents, are calling on the Lands Authority to “immediately withdraw” its consent for the proposed development of government-owned agricultural land in Tal-Bebbux.

The consent granted to a private developer for Planning Control application PC/00068/22 paves the way for the destruction of productive farmland to make space for further construction.

“The land in question has been farmed for generations and remains a source of local food production,” the NGOs said in a statement.

The letter to the Lands Authority signed by Robert Bondin Carter and Annalisa Schembri is supported by 13 NGOs argues that it is unacceptable for state-owned land—still serving an essential agricultural purpose—to be handed over for private profit, disregarding the interests of farmers, communities, and future generations.

“At a time when Malta is increasingly dependent on imported food and facing a global climate crisis, the decision to eliminate productive, cultivated farmland for development is deeply troubling,” they said, stressing that this reflected a broader and alarming trend.

They described this trend as “a government that remains eager to serve the construction lobby, consistently prioritising greed over environmental sustainability, social justice, and the long-term wellbeing of the population”.

Thousands of public objections have been submitted against this application, underscoring the widespread opposition to the project.

Farmers and supporting organisations insist that the Lands Authority must acknowledge this outcry, recognise the irreversible damage such development would cause, and prevent the misuse of public land for unsustainable urban expansion.

The coalition of farmers, organisations, and residents demands that the Lands Authority revoke its consent and halt the planning process before further harm is done. They stress that the land should be safeguarded for its agricultural and social value rather than sacrificed for unnecessary development.

The signatories urge the Lands Authority to act responsibly and seize this opportunity to protect the public interest, defend farmers’ rights, and reject a development model that prioritises profit over the common good.