A new road leading from Gzira seafront to the Kappara Junction needs to be completed by 2006 because of the impact of traffic to and from Sliema as a result of the development at Manoel Island and Tignè Point, the chief executive officer of MIDI plc, Benjamin Muscat, said yesterday.
The road, together with all the infrastructure services to go with it, are the responsibility of the government, Mr Muscat added.
"It is extremely important that the road will be completed by 2006 because of the greater volume of traffic that will go through Gzira and Sliema seafront by 2007 and 2008," he said.
Mr Muscat was speaking to The Times during a visit to the Tignè project by Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech who is responsible for capital projects.
On the relocation of the Royal Malta Yacht Club from Fort Manoel, Mr Muscat said the fort had been passed on to the MIDI consortium by the government.
The consortium would be spending Lm2.5 million on the restoration of the fort during a five-year project. The RMYC will be relocated to a part of the former Lazzaretto Hospital.
"We do appreciate the role played by the yacht club but the club holds no legal title to the premises it currently occupies and does not pay any rent. Talks are still going on between the club and MIDI as the club is negotiating for better conditions," Mr Muscat said.
MIDI plan to have a small hotel on Manoel Island and to turn Fort Manoel into an entertainment, artisan and heritage centre.
During the visit to Tignè, Dr Zammit Dimech, who was shown round by MIDI chairman Albert Mizzi, said the development at Tignè was a classic case of urban regeneration.
He highlighted the fact that promises of sale (konvenji) had already been signed for 200 apartments forming part of the project, an outlay of Lm45 million, of which Lm12 million would be foreign exchange earnings because a number of properties were bought by overseas buyers.
The development at Tignè includes the building of another 200 apartments. Twelve residents who used to live at the former Tignè barracks will be allocated other residences there while the sports associations will be given a club house.
Sliema football club will be given a training ground in lieu of the one they used to have but this time on the roof of one of the newly-constructed blocks.
Asked whether the development at Tignè would be a no-go area for most people, Mr Muscat said that was exactly what MIDI did not want to happen. "Tignè Point will be a new destination for the public where everyone will be able to come and enjoy shopping and dining out in a safe, pollution-free environment.
"Tignè Point will be pedestrianised and a car free road for joggers and bicycle riders will go round the whole development and will be connected to the rest of the Sliema promenade," Mr Muscat added.
MIDI plc are currently holding talks with an international firm based in Portugal that specialises in the design, development, management and marketing of large scale retail stores.