AD lambasts 'hijack by construction lobby'

The chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika, Harry Vassallo, said AD is saddened that what initially had seemed to be a project for the community and Sliema residents turned out to be another "hijack by the construction lobby".

Addressing a press conference near the area earmarked for the Sliema Town Square project, Dr Vassallo said what was thought to be an upgrade of an area, ended up becoming an "exercise of land speculation on a massive scale".

AD continues to be in favour of more accessible areas for the public but objects to high-rise development in the area, he added.

Dr Vassallo said the plan to designate Sliema or parts of it as an area suitable for high-rise development should have been submitted to a strategic environmental assessment as per Directive 2001/42/EC.

Such a study would, among other things, assess the impact these projects would have on the drainage system and on the demand for electricity and water.

Dr Vassallo said: "Mepa needs to evaluate projects in this area collectively and not on a project to project basis. Considering the other development planned in Sliema (Fort Cambridge and Tignè), there needs to be a more holistic approach as to what the effects of such developments have on the residents."

Sliema AD councilor Michael Briguglio said that "according to the Structure Plan, Sliema is already overdeveloped and further development should be discouraged".

This project will continue with the same trend. High-rise development in an already densely populated and congested area is definitely a wrong approach to urban planning, he said.

Mr Briguglio said that at the next Sliema local council meeting, on Wednesday, he will be presenting a motion asking the council to oppose unsustainable parts of the project, namely the 32-storey high rise which, he said, was never mentioned in the original representations made by the developers some years ago.