eNGOs, residents’ association file joint appeal against Sliema Townsquare development

A number of eNGOs have filed a joint appeal to the Environment & Planning Review Tribunal against the approval of the Sliema high-rise Townsquare development.

The joint appeal was filed by Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta and Ramblers Association Malta, together with the Qui si-Sana Residents’ Association.

“We have committed ourselves to defending the residents’ interests and will take all the necessary measures to protect and safeguard our shared environment,” a joint statement said.

On 4 August, the Planning Authority approved a 38-storey tower in Qui Si Sana within Sliema next to Villa Drago, against a ‘planning gain’ of ‎€266,314 that the Gasan Group has to pay to fund traffic management and urban improvement projects.

The development was approved with seven votes in favour and six against. One of the votes against came from Planning Authority chairman Vince Cassar.

The eNGOs called for capacity studies in order to have better planning for development zones, while making reference to comments made by Cassar, who described the project as “an exaggerated high-rise” and lamented over the excessive noise for residents during construction and questioned.

“Conforming to development zone guidelines is no longer enough when the infrastructure of those development zones cannot even cope with the present load, let alone the increased pressure on roads, water, electricity and drains that high-rise projects generate,” their statement continued.

The project comprises 159 residential units, 4,719 square metres of offices, 8,241 square metres of commercial space and 748 parking spaces and is set to increase traffic in Sliema by 3,500 cars a day.

They further warned of the effects a lack of necessary planning can have on the area and its residents.

“Issuing permits for high-rise, high-impact projects without a holistic plan and without all the required studies, as was done in the case of the TownSquare project, can only result in further deterioration of our urban quality of life and residents’ health and well being.”

Alternattiva Demokratika councilor Michael Briguglio, who was a vocal critic of the project, had also requested an appeal, which was unanimously supported by the Sliema local council and will be formally lodged within 30 days after the publication of the Planning Authority’s decision in the Government Gazette.