The proposed building of towers in the heart of Sliema would stifle the town and its residents, Alternattiva warned this morning.
Part chairman Arnold Cassola said the proposed building of the towers, one having 38 storeys and the other 40 storeys near each other on the Fort Cambridge site and 'Townsquare' would snuff out the sunlight for many residents of the area. The Qui-si-Sana beach itself would be cast in shadow.
The towers would be, by far, the tallest in Malta.
Prof Cassola said the projects would also lead to increased traffic congestion, a deterioration of air quality, and more parking problems. Residents would be 'choked' he said.
Prof Cassola said it was insulting of the developers to say there would be no major traffic impact.
In a separate statement, environment NGO Flimkien Ghal Abjent Ahjar said that the first step in processing applications for tall buildings applications should be investigations into whether the infrastructure of the area can support more building, residents and traffic.
"The Tigne peninsula already suffers gridlock while the repeated power cuts in this very area recently show that the electricity network cannot cope with the present pressure, let alone the increased consumption of two high-rise buildings."
"The proposed Townsquare development will destroy much of the garden of Villa Drago, one of Sliema’s few surviving heritage buildings, which garden is supposed to be protected," he NGO said.
It called for a more creative, holistic, long-term approach to Malta’s development which would protect green areas and residents’ rights, while improving other localities in order to lift the pressure off Sliema and St Julian’s where the quality of life is eroding fast.