These last few months have been clouded with a sense of panic environmentally-wise. There’s a sense of carpe diem urgency in having to savour every open spot, every uncrowded roof top, every unspoilt bay, every last undeveloped nook and cranny before the bulldozers and cranes set in.
I’m not exxagerating my case. At least 16 cranes loom over the horizon in the closest bay and hardly a day goes by without my seeing the ominous silhouette of another concrete breeze block casting its shadow over the roads.
We are told that this is great for the economy, that this is progress and that millionaires are queuing up to take residence here. We’re on a roll and we can’t just press the ‘off’ switch and put a stop to further construction.
The jury is still out on whether this kind of development is sustainable in the long term or if we’re heading for a Spanish-type building bust after the boom. It’s the never-ending and uniformly ugly buildings (sorry all you architects out there, but I’m not seeing much evidence of anything to the contrary) and encroachment on public space, which has fuelled much of the widespread opposition to the building of a university/residence by the Sadeen Group on ODZ land at Żonqor. There is a sense of ‘enough is enough’. Now the government has announced that the project will be spread over two sites – the dockside buildings in Cospicua and a reduced footprint at Żonqor.
The Żonqor area – though being heralded as a historic compromise – is still problematic
The former suggestion has been welcomed across the board as it will bring about the rehabilitation of buildings in central Cospicua and inject new life in the area which is already built up. A definite thumbs up to that.
The Żonqor area – though being heralded as a historic compromise – is still problematic. The coastal site originally earmarked by Sadeen has still been retained, the footprint reduced but the height increased.
The visual impact from the coastal side will be great and before anyone says anything about landscaping, keep in mind the jaw-droppingly vile Smart City marring the coast way back.
Of greater concern is the enforcement of conditions imposed on the Sadeen Group. My understanding is that the Group is bound to come up with the goods (in terms of completion of the site and setting up a university) and utilise the site solely as an educational establishment or a dormitory for students.
Should there be any non-observance of these conditions, the site would revert to the government. And what would the government do with this beautifully-situated dorm then?
This may be a worst case scenario, but I am deeply sceptical of the enforcement capabilities of our authorities or institutions. The authorities can’t even enforce a sunbed-free passage at Għadira, or the prohibition of double parking in Valletta, how can they be expected to enforce any conditions on an investor who has been given the red carpet treatment?
What if the investment does not live up to the hype? Again – we can cast our eyes on Smart City – touted as the Maltese version of Silicon Valley, now hosting cat shows, a luna park and weddings. All very agreeable, of course, but hardly the high-tech, cutting-edge hub we were promised.
And finally, there’s the fact that undeveloped public land has been privatised – effectively given to a private company, thereby depriving the public and future generations of the enjoyment and access to the area. These are not insignificant factors. There are very few open spaces and untouched vistas left. Why do we continue to build them up? They are not infinite resources.
And this is where I would make a proposal to the Prime Minister. It’s not perfect but if taken up, it would allay the fears of those who think that the ultimate intention was always that of building on 18,000 square metres and that the 90,000 square metres figure was originally put out there so the government could claim a merciful climbdown.
Taking up the proposal would also pacify those who would not think the government could be so Machiavellian and who are genuinely concerned about the take up of open, undeveloped areas.
The proposal is on the following lines: The government should designate 18,000 square metres which are currently within a development zone as part of a natural park which cannot be developed or built upon. That would compensate for the area granted to the Sadeen Group. If the Sadeen Group was granted an ODZ area, don’t the Maltese people deserve an equivalent area too? After all, they have been deprived of it in the first place.
This would be a true victory of compromise and common sense.
cl.bon@nextgen.net.mt