The Planning Authority's Development and Management Directorate has recommended sanctioning illegal padel courts on Manoel Island for a €900 fine, despite significant public opposition. The application, filed by Gżira United FC president Sharlon Pace, seeks to regularize 20 already installed padel courts out of a planned 30, on a site intended for reinstatement as a sports facility with demountable structures. The Directorate deems the proposal acceptable due to the site's historical sporting use and the temporary nature of the structures, arguing it won't hinder the island's planned transformation into a national park. This recommendation faces criticism for rewarding illegal development and potentially jeopardizing the national park vision, especially with the government's commitment to that plan and ongoing debates about the MIDI emphyteusis agreement.