Tower games: How one high rise building justifies another

The approval of the Fortina and Mercury house high rise developments in Sliema and St Julians respectively has rendered the “skyline less sensitive to the changes brought about by tall buildings”. 

This stark conclusion comes from the latest update to the Environment Impact Assessment for the City Centre project proposed on the former ITS site in St George's Bay by the db Group.

City Centre is expected to rise to 37 storeys but the EIA now argues that the high rise projects already approved on the two other sites will decrease the visual impact of the db Group project.

The updated EIA also refers to an eight metre decrease in the height of the proposed tower and the removal of a wedding hall on top of the 17-storey hotel.

But while it justifies the proposed height by referring to the approval of the Mercury house and Fortina projects, the latest EIA ignores the decision of the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal to revoke the permit for a 38-storey tower in Sliema on 3 May. The Sliema tower, proposed by Gasan for its Townsquare project is still included in the photomontages assessing the visual impact of the City Centre development.

The memo presented on 3 July states that the original photo montages had not taken account of the two high-rise developments approved by the PA in the past months.

But while new photomontages include the two new high rise projects approved recently, the Townsquare project is still visible despite a negative decision.

The EIA report contends that the Mercury house project renders the impact of the db tower’s impact on the skyline from St Julian’s “insignificant to low.”

With regard to the impact on the skyline when viewed from Marsamxett in Valletta “the domination of the Townsquare development and the addition of the Mercury house development” render the impact of the db tower “moderate", the report contends.

But the impact on the landscape remains high on views from Pembroke, St George’s Bay and Dragonara.

Changes to hotel development

More significant changes have been made to the hotel development, which has seen the number of rooms cut from 464 to 438 and the removal of a rooftop wedding hall and restaurant. The changes will result in a 4,500sq.m reduction in the floor area of the project.

“This will result in the reduction of traffic loads during weekend evenings peak hours” and a reduction in noise pollution and emissions according to the EIA update.

In May, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had hinted at a possible compromise to assuage popular opposition, including that of the Labour-led Pembroke council.

A “good compromise” for undertaking the proposed development on the former Institute for Tourism site in Pembroke, by the db group, should be possible, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had said, emphasising that such a project had to be done sensibly and in a way which respected the neighbourhood.