Major concerts are being held at the €16 million Ta’ Qali Concert Area this summer, months after planning permission was granted for new safety-related works at the venue, but it remains unclear whether the approved interventions have been completed.

The issue has come into focus during this week's SummerDaze events, with Lewis Capaldi performing at the venue on Tuesday and Calvin Harris scheduled to take to the stage on Saturday.

Planning documents reviewed by WhosWho.mt show that an application concerning additional safety provisions at the concert area was approved following a lengthy process to fix “serious safety deficiencies.” 

Application PA/04579/24 was directly linked to the original permit for the Ta’ Qali Concert Area, PA/03651/20, and proposed three new exit routes intended to improve user safety, as well as stairs and lifts connecting the stage to the indoor areas beneath it.

According to the Planning Authority case officer's report, the changes mainly involved removing two previously approved external staircases and constructing three external staircases in different locations, together with another staircase internally.

The application was considered acceptable by the Planning Authority because the changes would provide "safety provisions" to the open-air concert and recreational space, with the case officer noting that no objections had been received from consultees regarding the proposed development.

The significance of the works stems partly from conditions attached to the original permit for the concert area. According to the case officer's report, that permit required design details for staircase structures related to fire-safety measures to be submitted to the Planning Authority for further approval before operations on site. It also stipulated that no Final Compliance Certificate could be issued before those matters had been approved.

However, approval of the subsequent planning application does not in itself establish that the physical works have been carried out.

The permit gives the applicant five years from the publication of the decision to complete the development, meaning there is still time for the approved works to be carried out. However, if the safety-related works have not yet been completed, the question remains as to what measures are currently in place to ensure the safety of people attending events at the venue.

WhosWho.mt's review of the publicly available application documents did not establish whether all the approved works have since been completed or whether the relevant compliance and safety clearances have been obtained.

WhosWho.mt contacted Malta National Park – Ta' Qali head Jason Micallef, Local Government and Public Works Minister Alison Zerafa Civelli, the organisers of SummerDaze and the office of the Director General of the Community Projects Division, asking whether the works had been completed and, if not, what measures were being taken to ensure the safety of concertgoers.

No response had been received from any of those contacted by the time of publication.

A WhosWho.mt journalist who attended Tuesday's Lewis Capaldi concert said that the venue was divided between VIP and general admission areas.

Following the concert, those in the general admission section were allowed to leave progressively through an exit area, meaning that it took some time for attendees to make their way out.

The journalist also observed covered barriers while leaving the venue, although it was not possible to determine what was taking place behind them or whether they were connected to the works approved under the planning application.

The planning process itself included consultation with several authorities. Transport Malta ultimately raised no objection subject to conditions, while the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability also raised no objection after revised drawings were submitted.

However, the case officer's report states that no reply was received within the statutory timeframe from several other bodies, including the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, Civil Protection Department, Malta Tourism Authority, Environmental Health Directorate and Attard Local Council. Under planning rules, the lack of responses was treated as no objection to the proposed development.

The documents therefore establish that the safety-related interventions were approved, but do not, on their own, answer whether they have now been fully implemented.

 Additional reporting by Julia Falzon.