Sliema bespoiled

Taking a look at modern Sliema, one cannot but comment on the immense development that took place during these past decades. It would be interesting to see old pictures of most streets in Sliema and compare them to what they look like now. Such an exercise would make us bemoan the days when people had an eye for beauty.

It all started by the demolition of the beautiful regency terraced houses along the Sliema promenade. Not even one is left as a souvenir or as a reminder of days when people took pride in their surroundings. Instead we are now stuck with a series of high rise blocks of flats leaving the promenade in complete shade.

Now that the developers have used up all the available space along the Sliema front, their attention has turned towards the inner streets of Sliema. These are filling their pockets to the detriment of the locals who have lived there for years and have at heart the character and ambience of the town of Sliema, all this with the blessing of Mepa, whose responsibility is to safeguard our quality of life.

After the disastrous results in Ghar il-Lembi Street, no one can blame the Sliema residents for being wary and distrustful of development applications. One such application for development could be seen posted on the corner house at 6, St Margaret Street. During the two weeks that the notice was affixed to the front of this house, all passers-by could read in disgust the proposal to change the existing two-storey residence into a guest house.

Margaret Camilleri Pace provided a picture with her letter to The Times (May 22), showing the symmetry and aesthetics of the whole block which would definitely be ruined if the application is approved. Besides the obvious inconvenience to the whole neighbourhood, a commercial unit would also be creating a precedent for others to follow.

Mary Darmanin, in her eye-opening letter (June 6), revealed that the development included a guest house of four floors with an additional penthouse as well as a basement restaurant and a bar at street level.

How can such a commercial development even be considered in an area Mepa itself considers as "category A" town core area? How can one propose 19 guest rooms without providing adequate parking space? Trying to mask all this by specifying that the façade will be retained, while adding three new floors, is an insult to anyone's intelligence. Most Sliema residents are anxious to know the answer to Dr Darmanin's pertinent question: Does Mepa have faith in its own planning? It does not make sense for Mepa to give the go-ahead to despoil a residential area and streetscape of high value - an area that should be conserved.