MEPA approves €16m MIA business centre

MEPA has granted planning permission for a €16 million business centre at Malta International Airport.

The nine-storey building adjacent to the Gudja terminal will occupy an area of 33,000 square metres.

There will be two basement parking levels with a total of 109 parking spaces and services. Two floors at basement and groundfloor level are to be dedicated to retail activities and five floors to offices. A total 14,000 square metres are available for rent.

The building’s interior features open plan designs making optimum use of natural light. All services will be located on the roof.

Case officer Jonathan Orlando told the hearing this morning that the site fell within the confined boundary of the approved Master Plan issued in 1997.

Answering a query by board member Joe Farrugia, architect Edwin Mintoff said a further traffic impact study was currently being carried out. Pending additional applications to increase parking facilities to the site, 200 unused spaces within a former MIA staff parking zone could be used in the interim by the business centre.

Last July, Malta International Airport had announced that Vodafone Malta would be the business centre’s anchor tenant.

MIA said it expected construction to be completed within 18 to 20 months after planning permission was granted. The project’s target completion date is mid- to end-2011.