The mayors of Valletta and Floriana have urged the planning authority to accept a development application for the expansion of the MCP car park in Floriana.
Mepa is set to decide today on an application to increase the number of parking spaces in the multi-storey car park by 402, building up the unused inner core, while the roof will be converted into a public garden.
The application was filed in June after a lengthy screening process stretching back to 2012, when the project was first announced.
“The project is needed as soon as possible to alleviate the parking situation in Valletta,” mayor Alexei Dingli told the Times of Malta.
Prof. Dingli said people travelling into Valletta in the morning were finding the existing parking spaces full up, emphasising the need for an expansion.
“The project will also create a new open space for the public, which is definitely better than the sight we have at present,” he added.
Floriana mayor Davina Sammut said that her council fully supported the project so long as the operators, MCP Company Limited, followed through on the commitment to build a public garden.
The project is needed as soon as possible to alleviate the parking situation in Valletta
“Floriana is known for its gardens, so we believe the project will fit well and complement the rest of the locality,” Ms Sammut said. According to the project description statement, the expansion will bring the number of parking spaces up to 1,540 and provide paying services such as utility shops, public conveniences, car care shops and car hire services.
The public garden will feature a kiosk, outdoor furniture and a play area, while the current structures protruding above street level will be demolished and landscaping will conceal the ramp from St Anne’s Street.
An electric cab stand will be included on the first underground level, which the statement says will provide a link to the city centre.
The construction period for the €5 million project is expected to last 10 months from the mobilisation stage while finishing and landscaping will take a further two months.
The car park is to remain fully operational during the main construction phases, with most work taking place between 4pm and 2am to minimise disruption.
The MCP car park was inaugurated in 1995. In October 2012, Parliament approved a resolution extending the 50-year emphyteusis granted in 1991 by a further 65 years.