Michael Briguglio, Alternattiva Demokratika, local councillor, Sliema
Reasons to reject Sliema complex
With reference to the news item Plans For New Residential Complex In Sliema (March 16), I am pleased to announce that both Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party and the Sliema local council have respectively written to Mepa to object against the proposed development at Villa Bonici (PA 6239/08).
This development, which is split into about 23 blocks of apartments, some rising as high as 12 floors, shall take place on one of Sliema's last remaining green lungs in an already congested area. There are major concerns about its effect on the quality of life of Sliema residents, who hoped that this place would be used as an open space which can enhance community life, and not overdevelopment which will further add to problems such as pollution and traffic congestion.
Any development of such a massive scale should involve an Environment Impact Assessment, a Social Impact Assessment and a Traffic Impact Assessment.
In all cases, proper scientific and social-scientific methodologies should be carried out, such as comprehensive sociological surveys. Hence, one hopes that Mepa does not resort to the half-baked impact assessments carried out for another massive case of overdevelopment in Sliema, namely Fort Cambridge.
It is pertinent to note that according to Sliema's local plan, development in the Villa Bonici area requires a development brief, which does not yet exist. In itself, this should result in Mepa's immediate refusal of the proposed development.
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Henry J Bonett
Mar 24th 2009, 18:23
Why have a North Harbour local plan, or establish Development zones? Why have a lot of dress rehearsals when the play will not be held? Why have Mepa to watch over these things when it is itself going against it's own officers' findings. Why have a Prime Minister talk to us, Sliema residents, one week before the elections, assure us of a way forward, later remove a minister to take things in his own hands and, a year later, is still giving us more the same? All expert reports, whether Mepa, ADT or whatever say that Sliema cannot take more buildings. It cannot sustain more cars on its roads and more pressure on its already over loaded existing services and, above all the deterioration of health of our children. And yet? More is being piled up on us. All for the higher god of money! For, pray, what else can it be???
At the Annual meeting, last week,residents were informed by Sliema local council that ADL has been stringing them along for whole two years to grant them a meeting. This is absolutely Kremlin stuff!!! Who out there will help us??
C Fenech
Mar 24th 2009, 15:45
@Mr Farrugia
St Agatha Street is a one way street and can never be anything but. I'm sure the people who live in that street including those who have recently moved in will only be too happy to give up their relatively quiet street to all the new traffic. They will also be thankful that like the greater majority of Sliema residents they can enjoy the added noise and traffic fumes the complex will bring. We must also not forget the years of building noise they will enjoy.
I am off course sorry that residents of the other streets have been having a hard time but I don't think the proposed complex is going to lessen that at all,quite the reverse. In any case I'm sure the residents or Moroni and Viani took into consideration the amount of traffic and fumes already there when they originally bought.
Farrugia Francis
Mar 24th 2009, 11:11
In the development of Sliema, Saint Agatha Street was planned to pass trough and stretch beyond Villa Bonici and join that part of the Telephone Sub station whose environment forms a sort of an isolated building with no direct link with other parts of Sliema or Gzira except the steep hill of Belveder street and lateral Viani and Moroni streets that end up on the Savoy hill. Opening this new street will surely give a breahting space not only to families living in those secluted quarters but provide even an easy access to trafic, instead of the steep slope streets.
R Genovese
Mar 24th 2009, 10:36
Take it from me,this will be another case of big boys getting what they want save for losing a floor or two. The end effect will be that they will get what they wanted in the first place. They will make the buckshee and the people of Sliema will be faced with more concrete unoccupied towers and less space to breathe.
R . D. Vella
Mar 24th 2009, 10:09
I notice that the widely publicised Piazza at Tigne Midi Point is at some one and a half floors up from street level,(probably to gain an extra floor of shopping/garage space underneath)successfully hiding the recently restored military arches and clock tower from view(unless that is,you are walking in the alleyway which divides the Tower and the Berlinesque wall opposite, leaving the occupants of the flats above staring at a blank wall.
Physcologically this gives an entirely different meaning to the Square since walking up to something requires extra effort which most people would think twice about. I have seen this type of thing abroad and usually they tend to be wide open spaces devoid of life and rather lonely,and at times even dangerous from unsavoury characters.
Maybe those prophetic letters and blogs were right after all when they spoke of " building a ghostly windy City".
In any case,if my memory serves me correctly,when this project was first publicised I remember the Clock Tower as being a focal point of the Piazza. When did the plans change?.