SmartCity ready to start building

SmartCity Malta has reached an advanced planning stage and is ready to start construction of its ICT/media township at Ricasoli as soon as the Planning Authority gives the go-ahead, SmartCity CEO Fareed Abdulrahman said yesterday.

"We have contractors and consultants on board who will be abiding by SmartCity's Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and green building initiatives, and who are ready to begin the construction of SmartCity Malta as soon as we receive the green light from Mepa," Mr Abdulrahman said in a statement released following a meeting of the project's board of directors.

Demolition of the Ricasoli site, a former industrial estate, started just under a year ago. Under the terms of agreement with the government, Mepa had to give a decision within 60 days of the submission, last May, of an outline development application. The detailed planning application was then submitted in late June and had to be considered by Mepa within another period of 60 days.

SmartCity has also submitted environment and traffic impact assessments.

The first phase of the project is planned to be completed in 14 months and the whole project within 14 years. The most important aspect, the ICT section, must be completed in eight years.

SmartCity Malta is described as a state-of-the-art, self-sustained, knowledge-based township, forming part of a global network of such townships that SmartCity seeks to develop.

It is the largest foreign investment in Malta of US$300 million, and also the largest single job creator in Malta's history. Over an eight-year period SmartCity Malta is committed to creating 5,600 jobs.

Extending over one kilometre of Mediterranean seafront and 158,500 square metres of business space, it will offer business and lifestyle amenities featuring state-of-the-art office space, shopping and dining boulevards, panoramic areas and freely accessible open spaces.

Smart City is a joint venture company promoted by Dubai Holding members Tecom Investments and SAMA Dubai.

During the meeting the board recorded the significantly high interest that SmartCity has generated in its first building, SCM 01, which will be launched and operational in 2010 and will feature 12,000 square metres of intelligent office space.

SmartCity's energy efficiency and environmental impact was questioned earlier in the day by Labour Party spokesman for sustainable energy and the environment Leo Brincat, who said he hoped that SmartCity would be "smart" in terms of alternative energy and energy efficiency.

Given the "enormous size of this project" the least one could expect was that measures were taken to ensure that the best standards were reached in minimising the project's impact on climate change and maximising energy efficiency.

Mr Brincat stressed that the Labour Party hoped for the success of the project and the creation of employment. But considering that the project was to consume double the energy used in Gozo and about nine per cent of the country's energy, one hoped that a detailed study of the project's carbon dioxide emissions and its effect on the country's carbon footprint would be conducted.

In a similar vein, on Saturday the Ramblers Association expressed alarm over reports that energy requirements at SmartCity, when fully operational, will be double what was previously calculated.

The Ramblers also referred to concerns by the Superintendence of Fortifications and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage over possible destruction of historical relics at the SmartCity site, and said a government explanation was due in such cases too.

Questions regarding the claims made by the Ramblers and Dr Brincat were sent to a SmartCity spokesman yesterday morning but no reply was forthcoming by late yesterday.