The Malta Racing Club is awaiting the Planning Authority to
issue an outline development permit so that the much-awaited Marsa Racetrack
project will finally get underway, the Sunday Times of Malta can reveal.
Last year, the government announced plans to renovate the
Marsa Racetrack.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clifton Grima revealed
plans to upgrade the horse-racing track that would forsee enlarged spectator
stands and modern facilities for dressage and show jumping, among other
developments aimed at elevating the sport to international level.
Restaurants, shops, an educational family park and a child
care centre will also be included to make the track more attractive to the
wider population.
The deal obliged Marsa Race Track Ltd, the company set to
take over the track, to invest €24 million in horse racing.
However, almost 12 months passed since the launching of the
project and so far there have been very little developments on when the project
will get under way.
Contacted by The Sunday Times of Malta, Dr Pio Valletta, one
of the lawyers representing Marsa Race Track Ltd, said that the project is well
on course and said that they are awaiting MEPA to issue the permit.
“At the moment, we are awaiting the outline development
permit from the Planning Authority,” Dr Valletta said.
“From the information I gathered, the process has reached at
an advanced stage. All the studies that had to be done have been completed and
hopefully the permit will be issued very soon.
“Once the permit is issued, we can proceed to the next stage
which will see us signing the Concession Agreement and the Deed of Institution
of the land with the government so that construction works can start.”
Dr Valletta said once the investing company has the
agreement with the government in place, it will have some projected timelines
on the work being carried out to fulfil.
“The project will see a complete overhaul of the facilities
at the Marsa Racetrack,” he said.
“Once the agreement is signed we have close to two years to
complete renovation process of the racetrack. The works will include a
completely new track that will be able to host both trotting and flat racing.
“Apart from that, in the central part of the track, an area
for Polo will be built while there will also be
400 new stables and extensive area for showjumping.
“The facilities will be of a high standard so we can hold
international events.
“As regards the commercial side of the project, we have four
years for that to be completed.”
In the meantime, the horse racing enthusiasts in Malta are
waiting anxiously for the health authorities to lift their social distancing
restrictions as they hope to restart racing at the Marsa Racetrack after the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Horse racing in Malta was halted at the start of March but
since then, the racing enthusiasts in Malta have been itching to see a return
to action at the Marsa Racetrack.
Legal notice
Edwin Borg, the Malta Racing Club chairman, confirmed that
the local governing body of racing are continuously in contact with the health
authorities.
“At the moment, we need to follow the legal notice issued by
the health authorities,” Borg said.
“The club is continuously in contact with the health
authorities and we’re just waiting for them to lift the restrictions so we can
continue our season. We have already a plan in place to start racing again, we
just need to receive the green light.
“We have lined up plans for when racing will restart. We are
hopeful that our season would continue between September and December.”
