Just as the planning authority is holding consultations to conclude how Malta’s new local plans will ensure a better quality of life for residents,

the same Mepa is about to give birth to another monster project that’s set to blight the lives of Kappara residents.

The final local plan session was highly animated with residents from Sliema to Madliena blaming Mepa for the blatant overdevelopment in their area. One couple from Paceville gave a moving testimony on how their area has become unliveable and their lives ruined. Yet, the Mepa major projects unit has actually recommended the approval of a massive project of 50 flats on an open space in Kappara, which will stifle the whole area, much as Paceville has been stifled.

This site, located where the top of Sliema Road meets with Birkirkara Road, is partly occupied by two ancient farmhouses – one dating back 300 years – that form a landmark in this area.

Most of the footprint is an open space as it contains archaeological remains including cart ruts and tombs. While the cart ruts are being preserved, Mepa has accepted the applicant’s word that the 300-year-old farmhouse is dilapidated and can be demolished when, in fact, it is in a decent state of repair. This is what results from decisions being taken by remote control.

This case very much reflects what is being threatened to happen all over Malta with the Government’s insistence to aid developers in adding to the glut of 72,000 empty housing units.

The development that Mepa is recommending for approval reflects the concerns of citizens all over Malta as it is typically lacking in consideration for the present neighbourhood. Tellingly, the case officer’s report mainly deals with the building’s attributes, neglecting to refer to the many threats that the building poses to the residents’ quality of life that Mepa is supposed to protect.

This case begs the question of how the local plans could designate a six-storey status (four storeys plus semi-basement and penthouse) to a predominantly two-storey area. In this case, a neighbourhood that enjoys light, cooling breezes, tranquillity and a sense of space is to be reduced to a dark airless lane overshadowed by a massive complex of 50 flats.

The health problem being imposed on the residents will be the creation of an urban canyon that will trap the toxic emissions of the estimated 100 extra cars to be used by the new residents. We find it amazing that the damaging effects of these emissions on the residents’ health are not being taken into consideration.

Quality of life is only considered for the benefit of the new development

Furthermore, this area is an accident blackspot that is gridlocked several times a day, partly due to the fact that the traffic of four schools within a radius of 200 metres flows through this junction, exacerbated by traffic for Mater Dei Hospital, the nearby San Ġwann industrial estate and the traffic from the San Ġwann bypass.

Transport Malta’s July 2012 report is damning: “The junction fails in all scenarios…Queue lengths in all cases are noted to be considerably high, particularly with the existing layout plus development… Transport Malta still cannot accept additional development in this area.”

It is therefore inconceivable how, after such a damning report, Transport Malta suddenly changed its mind and decided that all these problems can be compensated by a payment of €25,000, which will not make any difference to this already jammed area.

While traffic at this key intersection is regularly gridlocked, traffic in Żbibu Lane is already chaotic due to the fact that it is a dead end street.

Until now, traffic is managed thanks to the turning circle at the end of the road. However, this project will build up the footprint of the turning circle. How can Mepa approve this without taking into account that the traffic – which is set to double in volume – will no longer be able to turn at the turning circle in order to exit the lane?

It is outrageous that the top officials at Transport Malta and Mepa can abandon any norm of accountability and responsibility in approving a project that is to result in mayhem.

The Structure Plan, local plans and the many policy documents produced by Mepa all seek to establish healthy liveable environments. Therefore, this project violates many policies and guidelines. However, as always, Mepa’s major projects unit blithely ignores these regulations and policies.

In this project, as in many other cases, quality of life is only considered for the benefit of the new development, ignoring the fact that the existing residents have the same rights to a healthy environment.

Mepa officials have witnessed first-hand the rage of residents whose quality of life has been sold for speculation.

This is Mepa’s chance to show whether the local plans consultation is genuine or whether, as many suspect, it is nothing but a sham.

Antonio Anastasi is the secretary of Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar.