Mepa finds planned Sta Venera apartment block 'too dense'

The Mepa board this morning turned down an application for the replacement of the former 7-UP bottling plant at St Joseph High Road, Sta Venera, by shops, garages, apartments, a gym and health club.

In terms of the plans, the existing factory building was to be retained and incorporated in the development, although other buildings were be demolished.

The new residential block was to consist of 164 units accessible from St Joseph High Road, Parades Street and Qormi Road, along with 232 garages, some of them for two cars, as well as 39 other parking spaces.

The application, however, was deemed to be too dense, with not enough public open space.

Mepa chairman Austin Walker said this project risked turning into a slum.