Marsa Racecourse Proposal Revived As Developers Add Sports Accommodation Floors

Plans to redevelop the Marsa horse racing track have been refiled, with developers introducing a new element of “sports accommodation” into a large-scale commercial and parking project that has been…

Plans to redevelop the Marsa horse racing track have been refiled, with developers introducing a new element of “sports accommodation” into a large-scale commercial and parking project that has been years in the making.

The latest application, submitted by Marsa Race Track Ltd, proposes the construction of a nine-storey corner building alongside four additional floors of parking above the existing park and ride facility. The updated plans replace an earlier application that had been withdrawn before a final decision by the Planning Authority.

While the overall design of the nine-storey building remains largely unchanged, the revised proposal introduces temporary accommodation rooms on the top three floors, described as “sports accommodation”. The application does not specify whether these rooms would be reserved for athletes or made available to the general public.

The lower six floors of the building are earmarked for a mix of commercial and leisure uses, including retail outlets, restaurants, offices, a gym, a daycare centre, a betting tote stand, ticketing facilities and spectator boxes linked to horse racing events.

In parallel, the project includes the construction of four new parking levels above the Marsa park and ride facility, providing space for 1,228 vehicles. Plans show a pedestrian bridge connecting the first floor of the car park directly to the corner building.

Beyond the main structure, the wider redevelopment proposal covers extensive upgrades to the racecourse itself. These include a new grandstand with seating for 938 spectators, complete with a bar and betting booth, two clubhouses, stables, paddocks, an equestrian arena with its own grandstand, and the restoration of the historic Malta Racing Club building.

The project traces its origins back nearly a decade. In 2015, the government issued a call for proposals to redevelop the Marsa racecourse site. Marsa Race Track Ltd was the only consortium to submit an offer and signed a memorandum of understanding in 2017. Two years later, parliament unanimously approved a 65-year concession covering both the racecourse and the park and ride facility, the latter not having formed part of the original call.

Under the concession terms, the consortium committed to investing at least €28 million in sports facilities and constructing new racing infrastructure within 18 months of permit approval. However, progress stalled. An earlier version of the project faced strong objections from NGOs and residents, who raised concerns about scale, visual impact and traffic.

In 2025, a planning case officer recommended refusing the original application due to missing transport studies, visual impact assessments and accessibility information. That application was subsequently withdrawn, clearing the way for the revised proposal now under consideration.

What do you make of these plans?

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