Mepa this morning approved a minor change to the 2006 approved local plan, for a site area in St Julians, between the parish church and the primary school in Mikiel Ang Borg Street, which was designated as a public car park.

The application had sought to change the zoning layout of the front part of the project in Mikiel Ang Borg Street. The objective behind this amendment was to significantly increase the feasibility of a proposed car park project for the area.

All the board members of the planning control commission voted in favour except for deputy chairman Franco Montesin.

The planning control application also established the height of the proposed car park from Mikiel Ang Borg Street, which cannot be higher than the street level of Lapsi Street. As a result, the height of any proposed development behind the properties in Lapsi Street has been reduced by three floors

Architect Ray DeMicoli, speaking for the developers, said the aim of the project was to reduce the number of cars passing through the main square, however, for the project to be feasible, there had to be an element of commercial use for the car park. The car park alone, with weekend peaks on Friday and Saturday evenings, was not feasible.

Among the plans for the project was the building of a supermarket and advanced talks are being held with Park Towers supermarket.

Mr DeMicoli said there had been consultation with residents and all those involved.

The project will have around 400 car park spaces. Just over half of the project, 53 per cent, will be the car park amounting to around 14,600 square metres. Another 20 per cent will be offices.

"Once you have a car park, the restaurants in the area will benefit, as will church goers and residents," he said.

The planning control application required the signatures of 75 per cent of the surrounding residents and around 78 per cent signed, Mr DeMicoli said.

He added that the project was sensitive to the area's needs, including the need for Lapsi Street residents to have a link and a lift to the town centre. These would be provided.

The access to the car park will only be from Mikiel Ang Borg Street only. No building will be higher than the existing buildings in Lapsi street. The roofs of the offices and the development would be green, terraced and with a large number of trees.

Mr DeMicoli emphasized that the project would not be another Paceville with bars and restaurants. "Nothing of the sort...we just want a coffee shop next to the church," he said.

The project was recommended for approval but case officer Peter Cefai, from the planning directorate, said they believed that it was not ideal for residences as it "would be an extension of the town centre, which so far stops at the church".
It was better to build offices, he pointed out.