Sliema residents call for independent strategic environmental assessment

The Tigné and Qui-Si-Sana Residents' Association view the decision by the European Commission to fast track procedures against the Maltese government over the Fort Cambridge development as an indication of the gravity of the breach of EU law.

The need of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was waived in spite of the fact that the Tigné peninsula is already under massive development, the association said.

It said the project would adversely affect traffic, light, air quality and noise levels in the over-congested Tigné peninsula and will have a substantial impact on the skyline.

The social effect of the addition of several thousand dwelling units and the associated commercial aspect on an already overpopulated area must also be considered. In the association's opinion the developer's project description statement and the traffic impact statement were both grossly inadequate.

Furthermore, it said, it is a farce to carry out transport and wind studies after the first, legally-binding permit had been issued.

In view of the massive over-development of the Tigné peninsula, the association believes that rather than an EIA on individual projects, an independent strategic environmental assessment is undertaken to take into account existing and planned development.

Furthermore, the whole application has to be examined within the context of EU rules applicable to sustainable development, it added.