An artist’s impression of how the Mercury House project will look when it is completed in 2023.

The recently launched draft master plan for Paceville was drawn up by the same consultancy firm that worked on one of the largest proposed private developments in the area, the Times of Malta has learnt.

Mott MacDonald, an international firm, was given a €300,000 direct order by the Planning Authority to produce a blueprint for a ‘new’ Paceville, including precise plans for what should be built and where.

It has now transpired that the same firm was also working on a private development project by Joe Portelli, a Gozitan entrepreneur who plans to transform an 80,000-square-metre site in the middle of Paceville into a multi-million euro development, including what will become the tallest skyscrapers on the island.

According to documents seen by this newspaper, Mott MacDonald drafted a number of technical preliminary reports for the Mercury House development project on the instructions of world-renowned architectural firm Zaha Hadid. The architects were responsible for the overall designs of the Mercury House project.

Apart from structural design, Mott MacDonald also assisted Mr Portelli’s architects on a number of other issues, including the building services necessary, transportation requirements and how the project fits in with the planning rules and design for the location.

The reports seen by Times of Malta do not indicate that Mott MacDonald flagged its involvement in the drafting of the new Paceville master plan for the planning watchdog.

It is not yet known if the same consultancy firm was involved in other private developments proposed for the area.

At least one other mega project incorporated in the draft Paceville master plan, the one on the Villa Rosa site, was also designed by Zaha Hadid architects.

Questions sent to Mott MacDonald to list the Paceville projects it is involved in remained unanswered at the time of writing.

The PA was asked if the fact that their consultants were also working for the developers could give rise to a conflict of interest, but no replies were forthcoming.

No information was given either when the PA was asked whether it was aware that those proposing how Paceville should be developed were the same consultants engaged by the Mercury House project developers.

The project consists of two skyscrapers on the site of Mercury House, with the highest reaching 40 storeys. It also incorporates a mix of office and residential units, including a 10,000-square-metre shopping mall and car parks.

In the master plan, Mott MacDonald gives a positive assessment on the Mercury House project. “Mercury’s [proposed] tallest tower will provide a prime office location which will contribute to positioning Paceville as a key business destination in Malta,” it says.