CONCERNS RAISED OVER SIX NEW PADEL COURTS ON MANOEL ISLAND

Local NGO Manoel Island: Post Għalina has raised serious concerns over reports of at least six new padel courts being constructed on Manoel Island, adjacent to existing courts near the island’s entrance. According to the NGO, these developments do not appear to be covered by any approved planning permit. The only publicly available permit mentioning padel courts was submitted by MIDI PLC in 2023 and was not approved.

Manoel Island: Post Għalina highlighted that Manoel Island has been promised as a National Park and is currently under public consultation to allow residents, NGOs, experts, and other stakeholders to provide input on the island’s future. They warned that allowing new facilities to be built while the consultation is ongoing undermines the integrity of the process.

The NGO emphasised that while community workshops have recognised the importance of sport, fitness, and active recreation, any facilities should be part of a comprehensive masterplan rather than piecemeal interventions. Expanding private sporting infrastructure at this stage could enlarge the footprint of commercial activity, making it harder for the government to enforce or revise plans in line with the public interest.

Manoel Island: Post Għalina has called on authorities to immediately investigate the works, halt any unpermitted development, and suspend processing of new planning applications until a formal, community-backed masterplan is adopted. They stressed that Manoel Island belongs to the public and its future must respect both the law and democratic processes.

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