Cottonera embellishment plans duly publicised, Mepa insists

The planning authority cannot understand why Cottonera residents feel they were “kept in the dark” about embellishment works in the area since architects’ plans had been readily available at its offices.

It was the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the public was kept in the loop about what was happening, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said.

It pointed out that the latest reforms increased public participation and improved awareness on planning applications.

Residents living in the area of Cottonera’s Dock 1 complained to The Times a few days ago they were unaware of the embellishment works being carried out in the locality.

Details of the plans were available at the regulator’s offices and could also be viewed at the local council, Mepa said. Entities such as architects, councils, NGOs and the media were also able to access them online. The public, however, did not have the right to see them online but could request to view them physically at the authority’s offices. Moreover, they could see project applications on the authority’s site.

Mepa said it could not understand how residents claimed they found it so difficult to access the plans.

The residents who contacted The Times said it took an MP and the help of the local council to finally view the plans of what was set to happen in their neighbourhood.

“Why should I have to struggle to get these things? This is not a small side road we’re talking about,” Miriam Fiorini, who has been living in the area for three years, said.

Mepa pointed out that recent reforms included posting a notification chit to neighbours who live adjacent to a proposed development, publishing weekly adverts in the media informing the public on whether an application has been approved or refused and increasing the objection period from 15 to 20 days for the public to register complaints.

The Infrastructure Ministry too said it had held a number of press events on the project where plans and designs for the area were exhibited. These included an exhibition stand at the boat show held at Dock 1 over the past two years. Moreover, the works were publicly announced on more than one occasion by the minister on the media, it said.

The ministry planned to hold an onsite press conference on the works in the area but this had to be postponed twice due to inclement weather.

The Cottonaera regeneration project

The landscaping project is divided into two main phases: the first phase covers from Xatt ir-Risq to the Cospicua regatta club while the second phase will run from this regatta club towards Gavino Gulia Square to the Maċina in Senglea. Works on both phases have started and are expected to be completed in the first half of 2012.

The main components of the project consist of:

• Redesigning common public areas to convert this unused industrial site into a high quality recreational and leisure space for all the family.

• Improved access to the dock. From the Vittoriosa side the car park will be redesigned to give priority to pedestrians. The wall along the Cospicua side will be removed and residents will have complete access to the promenade. Part of the wall between the British and Knights buildings, will also be removed to give residents in this part of Cospicua direct access.

• Redesign of hard and soft landscaping works. The project seeks to provide quality urban space for its inhabitants and visitors.

• Infrastructural systems and services have been diverted to the road above Xatt ir-Risq while other services have been redirected through service ducts.

• Connecting Vittoriosa Waterfront to Senglea side through Cospicua – creating a pedestrian connection from St Angelo to Boiler Wharf. Once ready, there will be a continuous link along the Three Cities.