MDA welcomes White Rocks’ conversion into National Park

The Malta Development Association (MDA) has welcomed the Government’s decision to rehabilitate the long-abandoned White Rocks site and develop it into a National Park, describing the move as a significant step towards restoring a neglected public asset.

In a press statement released on 6th November 2025, the MDA stated: “The MDA’s position has always been that the priority use of Government land should be for projects that serve the wider public interest, create open spaces, and enhance quality of life. The decision on White Rocks is a positive step in this direction, restoring a long-neglected area and returning it to the community after decades of abandonment.”

Originally built by British forces in the 1960s as the St Patrick’s Officers Married Quarters, the 450,000 square-metre White Rocks site was for decades used as residential accommodation for military personnel. Comprising a mix of three- and four-bedroom homes, each equipped with a garage and telephone line, the complex was deemed high-quality for its time. After the British military left Malta in 1979, it was converted into a Government-run holiday centre for language students, operating until 1995.

Since then, the site has been the subject of multiple failed redevelopment attempts, including a €58 million tourism project proposed in the early 2000s which was approved by the Planning Authority but never signed off due to contractual disagreements.

The MDA believes that the transformation of the area into a public park could set an example for the regeneration of other disused state properties. It noted that the park’s success would depend on “well-structured partnerships, combining public stewardship with professional expertise from the private sector,” as this could help ensure that the restored site is “properly planned, financed, and maintained to high standards, and that it remains accessible and safe for all.”

The Association concluded by reiterating its “readiness to work closely with the authorities to support regeneration projects that enhance Malta’s urban and coastal landscape, promote good planning practice, and serve the public interest.”