DB boss says reduced City Centre result of residential concerns

The DB Group’s CEO Arthur Gauci has refuted claims by three local councils and NGOs opposing the hotels group proposed City Centre project in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s.

“We have listened to all the genuine concerns about our proposal and addressed them with concrete and substantial changes. This applies particularly to those expressed by Pembroke residents. Today, the only threat to these residents is not our project but those who want to hide the truth from them,” Gauci said.

Gauci said it was not true that a recently reduced size in the project’s height was just “slightly” less.

“It is now seven floors less. That’s more than 18% less, the equivalent of a third of the length a football pitch. In addition, the hotel has been reduced by the equivalent of almost three standard floors. Crucially, the entire project is now 19,000 sqm less than permissible by Local Plan. Overall, the developable area has been reduced by 50,000sqm. The height is now comparable, if not less, than similar ones in the vicinity and in other parts of Malta.”

Gauci also contests claims that the project would throw thousands of residents in Pembroke into permanent darkness. “The maximum daily increase in shade created by the project on Pembroke will be 90 minutes during some weeks in December, which decreases as the following seasons approach and only on some adjacent residences. In June, for instance, the shading increases by only 30 minutes a day, and again impacting only some residences.”

The NGOs are insisting the project will see Paceville invading Pembroke and Swieqi’s residential quarters, a claim Gauci says was untrue because the hotel is marketed as an upmarket area that he claims will be a “barrier”.

Gauci said two adjacent Natura 2000 sites will be left untouched. “It is not true, as the NGOs claim that the project poses a threat to Ħarq Ħamiem Cave. For starters, the revised proposal reduces excavation by almost 60,000cb.m. More importantly, there will be a 24m buffer of undisturbed rock which is equivalent to the height of 8 floors, separating the cave from the development. In addition, only 0.5% of the project buildings, which have also been reduced by 43%, overlap the cave.”

Gauci said public areas in the project have been increased by almost 40%, for a total of almost 7,000sq.m of public spaces.   “The db Group has paid 1.5 million for planning gain, potentially benefitting the Pembroke community and those in the vicinity.

“The publicly-funded Paceville tunnel will ease the traffic in the area and thereby benefit all residents and businesses. Once the tunnel is built, all cars leaving St George’s Bay will be channelled through it. Incidentally, the Pembroke Local Council is in favour of the tunnel.”