Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) maintains that development in Malta should not be curtailed, however it must be given the utmost attention to ensure that it does not negatively impact other economic interests. Instead, what we have been seeing is development with no attempt to plan holistically for the benefit of the whole country.
The project to build four towers at Mriehel may look grand on paper however have the authorities given thought to the effect such a mega-project would have on the rest of the commercial property market? MEPA officials had confirmed that with the present demand for commercial premises, there will be a glut of properties once recent and planned projects are completed. Thus the proposal to build four commercial towers at Mriehel could jeopardise the commercial success of other complexes. The Paola A4 Towers and Sky Parks have not yet filled, Smart City, and Metropolis have stalled, while Pendergardens Towers, the Exchange Business towers, the Farsons Business Park, Townsquare and Xemxija Towers projects are at various stages of development. Is it realistic to expect that all these projects will be filled, or will we waste more precious land on projects destined to remain semi-vacant and like many of the showrooms built in the past?
FAA highlights the fact that MEPA was slammed by the Ombudsman for only adding this site after public consultation on its high-rise policy had taken place. Contrary to MEPA’s policy of clustering tall buildings this 18 storey development will rise like a sore thumb, jarring with the far lower skyline of neighbouring villages.
It will be seen from all Malta and will cast long shadows over residences, depriving them of light and solar rights. Last year, the international Council on Tall Buildings and the Urban Habitat along with the UNESCO Sustainability Committee issued a report questioning the sustainability of tall buildings. The fact that this complex will consume seven million kWh of energy, the equivalent of energy consumed in a year by 1,500 to 1,600 residents seems to confirm this. There is no indication that the developers have submitted LEED certification in energy consumption, as most European developers of such projects are obliged to do.
Furthermore, this massive project to rise to 18 floors lies within the supposedly protected heritage vista between Mdina and Valletta, and will irrevocably destroy this heritage view. If Malta is to attract cultural tourists, it needs to protect its cultural landscapes.
Certain European countries including the UK stipulate that before being granted planning permission, sensitive developments need to show justification for their schemes, including evidence of market testing, and in some cases, a percentage of the property committed on plan. Before beginning to process such developments far more than the Environment Impact Statement requested by MEPA is required.
MEPA needs to take on its responsibility as a regulator by demanding in-depth studies including social impact and cost-benefit analysis to prove the overriding necessity for such a development and the lack of negative impact on health and economic interests.
14.03.2015
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