[WATCH] Angry Sliema residents protest incomplete Townsquare studies, PA meeting postponed

Sliema residents protest against Town Square high-rise

Some 200 residents and members of environmental NGOs made their voice of protest clear at the Qui-Si-Sana gardens, taking the Planning Authority to task for not ensuring proper studies being made prior to the processing of the Townsquare project.

The protest, which was not just limited to Sliema residents, enjoyed the support of Alternattiva Demokratika, Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar, Moviment Graffitti, the Democratic Party and the Civil Society Network.

The Civil Society Network, along with a number of NGOs, had previously called for the suspension of high-rise development projects until a national master plan is drawn up, a sore point for the Sliema local councillors who spoke during the protest.

The Townsquare development in Qui-Si-Sana, which is a 38-storey tower being proposed by the Gasan Group, was scheduled to be discussed before the PA’s planning board without substantial studies being presented on its impact.

But the public meeting scheduled to be held Thursday was postponed, after Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) presented a prohibitory injunction request to the Courts. The request was temporarily been upheld by the courts. MP Marlene Farrugia saluted the protestors, saying they had achieved much in stalling the PA meeting.

The Planning Authority has denied that it had concealed any documents related to the proposed Townsquare Development as had been claimed by the Sliema local council. But councillor Paul Radmilli (PN) contested this claim, saying that important traffic studies had not been uploaded on the PA website despite his repeated complaints.

The PA claims that given this is a pre-2007 application, not all documents are in digital format. “It is normal practice for architects and interested parties to request to view planning applications and relevant documents at the front desk of the Authority.”

Sliema councillor Michael Briguglio (AD) said that the statistics being cited in the Townsquare's impact assessment are “either simply unbelievable, presenting shocking statistics such as 10,000 daily cars passing through, or incomplete – no social impact assessment and no opinion from the Water Services Corporation on the sewage impact.”

Lawyer and environmental activist Claire Bonello, a Sliema resident, said certain essential studies had not been submitted by the Gasan Group. “The social impact assessment, a report on the economic impact, and the green travel plan are totally missing. And certain studies have not been updated since the tower rose from 27 storeys to 38 – we are today are simply requesting that there is no hearing and decision until all these requirements are made available to the scrutiny of the public and experts.”

Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar coordinator Astrid Vella even claimed that in a meeting with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on the impact of the Zonqor project, he had told her that residents don’t care about the social impact. “He said ‘residents tolerate anything in the end’. We were shocked to hear that and we do not want this to happen.”

The Nationalist Party in a statement said that three years into its term, the government had no vision that can guide developers with policies that are vague, contradictory or completely missing.

“The government’s policy on high-rise building contradicts its own strategic plan for the environment and development (SPED) adopted last year, which states that while tall buildings may increase efficacy of land use and create open spaces, their impact on the Maltese landscape is becoming a matter of concern. But while the SPED raises doubts about high-rise buildings, the government’s floor to area ratio policy (FAR) allows them. Moreover, the long-awaited Local Plans have been delayed for more than a year.

“All this shows that the problem lies with a government that, despite all its promises, has yet to lead in sustainable development.”

Moviment Graffitti said business groups like Gasan and the likes have no care whatsoever for the negative impact such developments will have on the majority of the people.

“The high-rise buildings proposed are a feeble attempt to appease the general population and try to delude us into thinking that they are doing this in favour of our environment, when really, they will be blocking natural light, putting pressure on infrastructure and increasing traffic amongst other things. Moreover, all these proposals are being put forward while 72,000 buildings lie empty.”