Kurt Sansone
Car park to replace Floriana stands
The spectator stands alongside the Floriana football pitch will be transformed into an open-air car park if the planning authority approves the project on Friday.
The project by the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation, a government entity, is expected to level the stepped area along the Mall and transform it into a car park.
A spokesman for the Infrastructure Ministry, responsible for the Corporation, said the planned car park will cover some 5,000 square metres. She said the football ground did not form part of the project footprint.
“The development is restricted to the area where there are the stands, between the football ground and the Mall,” the spokesman said.
She said the car park surface would be in tarmac and the planning authority’s case officer report was recommending approval.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority will decide on the project on Friday and the corporation this week issued a call for tenders for the construction of the car park.
14 Comments
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Tony Marsh
Jan 18th, 19:43
On 21st September, 1964, thousands of people (including 8 year old self) stood on these terraces to watch the independence ceremony as it took place at this location. But that doesn't seem to matter to anyone, and of course it's much more important to park and make space for (more and more) cars.
Park and ride was a great idea when it was free, and always full. Then the money-grabbers got hold of it and it became a disaster.......
JC Sullivan
Jan 18th, 13:06
As if you need another parking area in Floriana and specifically in that area.
If I had a vote - I would turn it down.
Philip Bonello
Jan 18th, 12:01
The whole area can be turned into a multi level car-park similar to the MCP car-park while maintaining the footbal ground and stands on the car-park roof (ie. at street level). That way those of us who are nostalgic can still have the arena where Malta celebrated its birth as an independent nation; where the Maltese flag went up the first time.
Victor Pulis
Jan 18th, 11:47
All part of the plan connected with the Parliament project and the regeneration of Valletta no doubt! It is clear that the so called project has gone haywire and this is all patching felt with pumpkin or as we say in Maltese inraqqu l-pannu bil qaghrá ahmar . It's a domino effect.
Daniel Cannons
Jan 18th, 11:30
Build a car park in floriana?!?!?! there's a huge park and ride facility that is always EMPTY!!! I work for arriva and most of the car park is full of worker's cars, maybe 10% is used by the public but there's still room for hundreds more cars, why don't TM put some funding to that and get the price reduced to 1eur or 1.50 a day so more people will use it!!!
aldo Attard
Jan 18th, 10:35
Now we do not need any more open spaces.
Ha Ha Ha.
We can also bulldose the flour mills.
We can do with more FREE Park @ Ride Areas.
Count my vote.
Ahh ! Ahh! Ahh!
D. A . Agius
Jan 18th, 10:27
Oh, that's a nice vote catching exercise.
Had it been a decent exercise, TM would excavate at least 8 floors down (as in the MCP car park).
Unfortunately, if it was done by TM, the next year it would be given for almost free to some "friendly" business.
Why not open up the project for a public-private partnership, giving use of the land, helping to construct but enforcing a fixed rate of say, 2eur/day for parking?
Oh, and since I just mentioned the MCP, when will it get its top covered up with gardens, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM DAY ONE!
AGovernment has spent millions upgrading (with some issues like a gate with no gate) the Valletta Entrance but then the MCP has been left there. As if when re-doing your house you leave the front door and pavement in shambles!
D. A . Agius
Jan 18th, 10:24
Oh, that's a nice vote catching exercise.
Had it been a decent exercise, TM would excavate at least 8 floors down (as in the MCP car park).
Unfortunately, if it was done by TM, the next year it would be given for almost free to some "friendly" business.
Why not open up the project for a public-private partnership, giving use of the land, helping to construct but enforcing a fixed rate of say, 2eur/day for parking?
C Cassar
Jan 18th, 10:48
€2 a day? You are clearly joking. A full day's parking should be charged at a minimum of €10. Even that is cheap compared to other European countries even when taking into account income differentials.
The Maltese need to get used to paying for the priviledge of parking a car (which is in itself a priviledge).
Times have changed and paying sensible market rates for parking have arrived. 'Pay & Display' schemes should also be launched for street parking.
Patrick Zammit
Jan 18th, 12:17
Not everything Mr Cassar.
Last year I visited Scotland and parked at the Ferrytoll Park and Ride to visit Edinburgh.
It was free, you park under a roof and can stay overnight free of charge as well.
John Scerri
Jan 18th, 10:22
I had put forward this exact proposal in order to ease the parking problem a month ago on this site .
Good to know it did not fall on deaf ears.
The pitch is already being used as parking space ...good .....a bit muddy after a rainfall but this can be remedied .
So Let's make it happen .
C Cassar
Jan 18th, 10:17
More car parking simply encourages more car ownership. This area should be planted with trees and turned into a garden that can be enjoyed by all rather tahn an area that will encourage even more pollution.
Julian Mompalao de Piro
Jan 18th, 10:05
The least they should do is excavate some floors down. Who today in Malta undertakes any kind of building project without utilizing underground space? The government.
PAUL BUSUTTIL
Jan 18th, 09:56
Why not put at least 2 floors of parking one at road level entrance from Police HQ side and one underground entrance from Pheonicia side entrance ?????????//