Dock 1 development brief to be published soon

A development brief for the regeneration of Dock no. 1 in Cospicua, approved last week by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, will be available to the public in the coming weeks, Mepa public relations officer Sylvana Debono said yesterday.

The document was drawn up by the Ministry for Urban Development and Roads in consultation with Mepa and the Malta Tourism Authority.

Once the public consultation period is concluded, the comments and changes deemed relevant will be incorporated in the brief. The document is expected to have been sanctioned by the Cabinet by mid-February.

The document, which bears the title Dock no. 1: The Regeneration Project for Cottonera, aims to guide designers and consortiums on the criteria and parameters for the restoration, rehabilitation and revamping of the site.

According to the brief, "the main objective of the redevelopment of the Cottonera waterfront is the transformation of the area into a major cultural, commercial and recreational area... This project would sustain the projects already under way and encourage further public and private investment in the area."

The regeneration of Dock no. 1 will serve to complete the Cottonera Waterfront project and integrate the waterfront into one continuous system.

Among the brief's objectives are: the re-designing of Gavinu Gulia Square into a more attractive urban setting and the separation of pedestrian and traffic circulation; to restore and re-adapt the historic dock and the dock buildings to a compatible use; and to create a mix of residential, retail and cultural facilities.

Dock no. 1 dates back to 1848 and its first use was that of a servicing point for ships operating in the Mediterranean. It was the first dry dock constructed by the British Navy in the Mediterranean. Later it was enlarged and the dry dock was completed in 1921.

The complex is made up of the dock buildings, including two warehouses and overlying stores.

The dock area extends from Oil Wharf running along the Vittoriosa peninsula to the area beneath Triq 31 ta' Marzu on the Senglea side of Dockyard Creek. The dock is 154 metres long and 21.6 metres wide. The total floor area of the knights' building and the British building is 6,160 square metres.

An additional development will consist in the building of three structures being called gateway building, landmark building and block 1 as fill-in buildings along the dock waterfront.