Leave Malta alone!

The Knights built towers which today line and grace much of our coastline, as well as others internally. They were necessary initially and have stood the test of time, particularily from an aesthetic point of view.

Can, or will the same be said for the current and planned outcrop of towers in Malta?

Some residents in Qawra were recently appalled, and rightly so, to hear of all of 31 storeys being planned to be plonked so to speak, right in the middle of their residential heartland (July 1).

Let us list these residents' concerns, and do not just breathe a sigh of relief if you do not live in Qawra. Neither do I. Just imagine one of these towers arriving next door to you!

The tower would basically create darkness over some homes as it will have no fewer than 31 storeys as opposed to the five-storey limit in the area. It will create inceased traffic in what is meant to be a residential area. We are talking here about a commercial zone of almost 2,000 square metres no less. And most importantly much of Qawra is currently quiet and peaceful. Goodbye to all that.

This is what keeps happening here. You buy a property in Malta in an area planned and zoned as residential, and then one fine day someone, usually from the business community, has other plans, and insecurity, uncertainty, residents' meetings and appeals processes set in.

I love the Hilton building but the tower contributes nothing to St Julian's, if anything it detracts from it. The planned development at Tigne Point also looks good from the model at least, but that ugly spindly and nasty little tower planned there simply ruins the development as well as beautiful Tigne itself.

And now Qawra?! Does someone out there have this vision of Malta as a Mediterranean island with these type of towers spread around? Perhaps the cartoonists cum-caricaturists who currently have a geat little exhibition going could present this new proposed image of Malta.

From Switzerland in the Med. to New York in the Med. Why, oh why are we never happy with Malta in the Med?

People do not want these towers here. When will we learn? It would be excusable perhaps if we had to build them to house the homeless but luckily we do not because we've learnt from experiences abroad that these tower blocks cause more problems than they solve.

For some reason when we look at planning proposals we tend to ignore people's beahaviour, people's feelings. But these tower blocks will become very prominent and practically unerasable for many years, and sadly part of our built environment.

Malta is not New York, Dubai or Chicago, the last being my favourite city. We have a character and a built-up heritage in a very, very small area which can be ruined practically overnight. The Sliema Front is testimony to all this. Putting up tower blocks is simply an answer to going nowhere.

There may be plans to build small islands off Malta with our building waste. Well, those isands, miles away and as yet with no character of their own would be a perfect venue for these proposed towers. Those who do not want them do not have to see them. Those developers, architects and members of the public who love them can just work there or emigrate there or whatever.

Leave Malta alone!