Rebuilding Paceville will cost €151 million to expropriate land for public spaces

The cost of “appropriating” land to create new public areas in Paceville will cost between €144 and €151 million.

The estimate is based on prices provided to consultants Mott Macdonald by the government, which have been published in appendices to the Paceville master plan.

Costs for land appropriation represent more than a fourth of total costs for the implementation of the master plan, estimated at between €443 and €596 million. 

The costs are based on the appropriation of 27,219 square metres of land in four different areas, namely 2,200 square metres of land in St George’s Park, which is identified for a new plaza, 15,074 square metres of land around St George’s Bay, 966 square metres in Triq Sant Wistin and 2,160 square metres in Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli. 

A development brief approved in 2005 had already identified space for a central plaza in the area near Mercury house, which would not have required any expropriation but this area has now been identified for more high-rise development. The area surrounding a renovated Mercury House was to “be used as public open space, including the creation of a piazza”. 

The greatest cost (€128 million) is involved in “appropriating” land in the so-called St George’s Parade where land is valued at €8,500 per square metre. 

St George’s Parade will be located to the north of St George’s Bay between the Corinthia and ITS sites. According to the master plan the creation of an open space in this area will provide “fantastic views back across the bay and towards the Villa Rosa on the hillside”. A further €8 million is envisaged to expropriate land at Triq Santu Wistin – the main route down to St George’s Beach from the entrance to Paceville. 

This route is presently lined with bars, clubs, shops and hotels. The master plan describes this area as an “a very down-market area with a poor quality and cluttered streetscape environment”.  

The master plan proposes “a radical landscape strategy” that “de-clutters the street and introduces tree planting, new surface materials and shared surface for pedestrians and vehicles”. This will not only improve the quality of the street, but also the arrival experience into St George’s Bay. 

Further expropriations are envisaged at the new Paceville Plaza (€7.7 million) and at the Mikiel Anton Vassalli Gateway (€7.6 million).

According to the master plan the redevelopment of the adjacent St George’s Park site could offer the opportunity to open up the existing public space and create a larger, grander plaza, which will become the central public open space within Paceville. It could be a key multi-functional space for gathering, local events, festivals etc. In addition to increasing the size of the plaza, consideration needs to be given to an improved environment to create a public realm of the highest quality.

The costings also show that the new regional road tunnel will cost €32 million, the new drainage system €3.5 million and the new power infrastructure €4 million which include a new distribution centre costed at €2.9 million. The construction of a 900 square metre, new electricity distribution centre will be made necessary by the considerable increase in energy demand in Paceville.

Last week, residents of Paceville, St Julians, Swieqi and Pembroke expressed their opposition to the proposed master plan for Paceville. 

One of the most contentious issues discussed in the consultation meeting was the expropriation of private residences and businesses which, according to the plan, stand to be handed over private companies for re-development, when expropriation usually involved property taken over by government or for public use.

The meeting was called by Kamp Emergenza Ambjent (KEA) and the St Julian's local council and was attended by around 200 people, with many residents – Maltese and foreigners – expressing their disbelief and anguish at many of the proposals included in the master plan. The local council will be discussing the masterplan next Thursday in an official meeting during which it will be taking  an official position on the proposed developments.