Townsquare: 'final nail in the coffin for the Tigne Peninsula' - NGOs

The residents' associations of Sliema, Qui-Si-Sana and Tigne' and the environment NGO FAA have renewed their opposition to the Townsquare project, which, they said, has been reactivated.

The project, they said in a statement, posed a "renewed threat to Sliema’s sensible sustainable development, despite plan changes which have lowered the highest tower to 25 storeys while increasing others to 15 storeys."

Townsquare is to take up the site formerly occupied by the Malta Union Club and the grounds of Villa Drago, the former Libyan Cultural Centre, which is a scheduled property and will be used as the main entrance.

The associations said this project, despite the changes made to it, was still a high density dwelling project consisting of a high rise residential and office complex with shopping, food, beverage and leisure facilities and carpark.

In view of the two neighbouring mega projects, namely Fort Cambridge and Midi and in the absence of adequate traffic management, public transport and pollution mitigating measures measures, Townsquare would be the final nail in the coffin for the Tigne Peninsula and Sliema as a whole, the associations added.

"This project alone will add another 400 vehicles per hour to peak time traffic to the 35,000 vehicles per day that are projected to pass along Tower Road and Qui-si-sana seafront. These vehicles will of course, gain access to and exit from Tigne through Sliema and neighbouring towns, all of which already suffer from terminal traffic congestion problems," they added.