St Philip’s Hospital could soon be restored to its former glory as developer Carlo Stivala confirmed plans to purchase it and restore it into a hospital and an elderly care home.

Mr Stivala told Whoswho.mt that he views the abandoned Santa Venera hospital as a big opportunity, particularly in light of Malta’s ageing populaiton. He said that while he has traditionally invested in hotels, he would like to expand his portfolio.

St Philip’s used to be a specialised healthcare centre that catered to medical tourists, particularly from the United Kingdom.

However, it closed in 2012 due to financial reasons, and it has remained abandoned ever since and legal proceedings related to outstanding loans remain active in court.

As reported by Newsbook today, Dr Frank Portelli – the director of Golden Shepherd Ltd, which used to run St Philip’s – confirmed in court that Mr Stivala plans to purchase the former hospital.

Mr Stivala said that while it is still too early to discuss project timelines, he intends to resolve all pending legal issues by 2026.

However, he confirmed he plans to keep the name ‘St Philip’s, both because of the history attached to it and because he likes the name.