Unfortunately, Sliema has been ruined with all the apartments which have sprouted up in all the inner and outer roads. Should we remain complacent and continue destroying what is left? Or do we have the courage to stop further development, especially in the inner roads of Sliema?

A permit has been submitted to develop Villa Degiorgio, which is situated at the junction of three busy roads. Traffic jams occur continually, especially during peak hours. The development of Villa Degiorgio into apartments will only serve to increase the traffic congestion and pollution in this very busy area.

An EU-supported research study (the Aphekom project) shows that significant health and monetary benefits could result from reducing current levels of air pollution in European cities. This new research, which looks at 15 cities in 12 European countries, shows that living near busy roads substantially increases the diseases attributable to air pollution.

In the study that was carried out Sylvia Media reported: “We also determined that living near busy roads could be responsible for 15 per cent of asthma in children and possibly for similar or higher percentages of other common chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in adults 65 and over”.

As can be noted from the above, besides continuing to ruin what is left of Sliema by adding more development, we are contributing to the pollution of the area and thus damaging the health of children and the elderly by bringing more cars into this overdeveloped area, trapping their toxic fumes between tall buildings.

Since Transport Malta fails to comment on the extra traffic generated by new developments, we ask the authorities, the guardians of public health, what they are doing to curb the factors that bring about air pollution – increased development. Does the Malta Environment and Planning Authority feel no responsibility for residents’ quality of life?

We appeal to the authorities to stop the development of Villa Degiorgio, which will further contribute to the pollution of the whole area.

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