Paceville’s new open spaces could require expropriation, land reclamation solely for hotel use

Any land reclamation included in the new master plan being proposed for Paceville would be listed for tourism, and any development on the reclaimed land would be limited to hotels, according to Johann Buttigieg, executive chairman of the Planning Authority (PA). 

Questioned by Nationalist MP Marthese Portelli at the end of a PA presentation in front of parliament's permanent committee on the environment and development planning, Buttigieg confirmed the area earmarked for land reclamation would not include any residential development, but only hotels. 

Architect Joseph Scalpella, for the Planning Authority, explained that nine sites in Paceville were identified as main development opportunity sites.

A number of heritage assets in Paceville, although possibly relatively unknown, would be safeguarded and protected under the proposed plan. 

The master plan envisages Paceville becoming the home to a vibrant and successful mix of uses, including five-star hotels, new homes and a new business hub.

Scalpella said the master plan emphasised the development of well-planned gateways into Paceville, providing ample and attractive disembarkation, and pedestrianised areas that would provide a visually-appealing first impression of the locality. 

Marthese Portelli said that the Opposition welcomed the master plan for the locality but insisted much more discussion was needed to ensure that development in the area take place on a level playing field. 

She asked whether any land or property would be expropriated and what plans were in place for compensation.

Buttigieg said that some existing residences and businesses could end up being expropriated if located in areas earmarked for development into open spaces. 

Portelli noted that under the master plan, the population of the locality would grow from 2,000 to 9,000 and said such density would have to be well supported.  She asked architect Scalpella to better explain how PA's photo montages could show no change to Paceville’s skyline when viewed from Ricasoli.

Johann Buttigieg said government expenditure on the project would total around €300 million while private investment under the master plan was expected to reach €1.7 billion. 

Opposition MP George Pullicino asked whether the consultants who helped in the drawing up of the master plan had been verified to not have provided consultancy services to any developers and that they would not do so in the future.

Major proposed development projects in Paceville

He also noted that the projected time-frame for the project – five years from start to finish – were very optimistic at best, and that even major projects of national importance were very often falling way behind schedule, so he could not see how the time-frame could be reached in this case.

Pullicino said the plan required a waste transfer station near the Luxol grounds but he recalled the negative reaction past plans for such a station in Xewkija had generated, and recommended another €5 million be added to the project’s budget so that the station be built underground and accessed solely through the new tunnels being proposed.

He insisted that the public open spaces included in the development briefs for Pender Place and Mercury House remain untouched and intact.

Johann Buttigieg said the matter needed further study and the committee agreed to call representatives of the Government Property Division to establish clearly the status of public land included in the plan.

Arnold Cassola, for Alternattiva Demokratika,  said the master plan itself established infrastructural expenditure at €586 million and not €300 million as stated in the hearing.

He welcomed the introduction of a master plan but insisted that some shortcomings needed to be addressed, including the expropriation of private residences and the impact that high-rise buildings will have on Swieqi valley.

He asked whether a shadow analysis had been carried out to determine the impact on Swieqi and whether studies had been carried out on the flow of wind from the sea onto Swieqi valley and beyond.

Cassola said the masterplan mentioned that the tallest high-rise buildings would be “around 35 storeys” and he called on the PA to state clearly how tall the buildings would be.

The committee will be meeting again next Wednesday to continue discussing the masterplan.