Castille Square in Valletta is set to become a pedestrian zone in a €1.6 million revamp in time for November’s Commonwealth summit.

The aim is to give prominence to the baroque features of the Auberge de Castille, return the square closer to the way it was in the past and expose a number of hidden features in this part of the capital.

These features include a number of granaries similar to those in Floriana, albeit with a squarish slab on top, located next to St James bastions. While some of these structures are still visible, others have been buried for decades under the tarmac.

Vehicles will still have access to St Paul Street and the Central Bank, through a traffic arrangement that incorporates a series of bollards.

The design was unveiled yesterday by Principal Permanent Sec­retary Mario Cutajar and Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation chairman Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi.

The Mintoff monument will have to be located somewhere in the square

During his presentation, Mr Cutajar spoke about plans to relocate all monuments dedicated to former prime ministers to this square. However, the design seen yesterday only incorporates the two existing statues dedicated to Manuel Dimech and former Prime Minister George Borg Olivier. The planned Dom Mintoff monument does not feature at all.

Asked to clarify, Mr Cutajar said: “The Mintoff monument will have to be located somewhere in the square. Let us see what will come out of this wish [to relocate all monuments in this square] and then decide on their location.”

An artist’s impression of how Castille Square will look after the €1.6 million makeover.

As for the plan to make the area pedestrian, the Principal Permanent Secretary promised that not even Cabinet members attending meetings at Castille would be allowed to park in the square.

While acknowledging that in recent weeks enforcement against illegally parked vehicles in pedestrian zones such as De Valette Square had been lax, he said the issue had now been addressed.

The roundabout in front of Castille was constructed in 1976, at a time when traffic was allowed to roam freely in the capital. Between 1931 and 1973, the square had also served as a bus terminus.

However, the pedestrianisation of Merchants Street and the subsequent demolition of City Gate which broke the link to the other side of the capital through Pope Pius V Road, made this traffic junction redundant.

The roundabout at Castille Square which will make way for the embellishment project. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Mr Cutajar said the pine trees will be shifted to one side under the expert supervision of Ian Lansley, an arborist commissioned by NGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar.

The open space will be paved with porfido tiles through which will run diagonal lines of Maltese hard stone.

The project includes the area near the Stock Exchange and the entrance to the Upper Barrakka Garden.

The design does incorporate some parking bays but the overall number of spaces will be reduced because the existing car park in front of the Department of Information will go.

Meanwhile, the Victoria local council yesterday issued a statement accusing the planning authority of adopting a two-weights-and-two-measures approach.

It noted that contrary to the decision taken on the embellishment of It-Tokk, where the council was not given permission to uproot a number of trees, the authority had acquiesced to a similar request made in the case of Castille Square.