Mepa approves 100 apartments in Midi project

Mepa has approved the building of a nine-storey office blocks and two 14 storey residential blocks with 102 apartments as part of the Midi Tigne project.

During a public hearing this morning, objections were raised by officials of Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar, who argued that the Environment Impact Assessment was 13 years old. FAA spokesman Astrid Vella expressed concern over traffic congestion and pollution levels.

Architect Prof Alex Torpiano, the project architect, explained how the original project had to be changed in order to accommodate the Garden Battery, which was found during the excavation work. The volume of the cancelled tower block has now been added to the residential blocks which have risen from six to 14 storeys. The hotel stipulated in the development brief has also been converted to residential use.

Mepa officials also insisted that the EIA had been updated, following a poorly attended public consultation process.  They said that what was before the board was all in line with the outline development permit granted in 1999.

After the development was approved, Mrs Vella said Mepa had  betrayed its mission statement to ensure a quality of life that will be in harmony with the natural, cultural and built environment. It was as if Mepa had never happened, she said.

Mepa also granted full development permit for the rehabilitation and reuse of the Lazzaretto complex at Manoel Island.

The restoration will accommodate residential units, office facilities, a casino and a car park.