The Planning Authority has approved extensions to the massive car park and commercial complex being built in Spinola despite concerns that the project will seriously affect air quality in the area.
Changes to the project, which began life as a car park proposal in 2013, were approved by an overwhelming majority this morning, with only Environment and Resources authority chairman Victor Axiak voting against.
The ERA had objected to the proposal in its current form, arguing that it would negatively impact air quality by generating unacceptably high levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide pollution.
During the hearing, Prof Axiak commended the developers’ efforts to make the project environmentally friendly but described the measures as “eyewash for the real problems”, calling for the whole project to be scaled back.
“There is no guarantee that the developers’ air quality measures will work,” he said. “What is certain is that this project will aggravate air quality in an already precarious area, and should therefore be downsized.”
The changes approved today will add 115 parking spaces over that already approved, bringing the total capacity to 495 cars.
The area and height of the complex will be extended, adding new restaurants and food and drink outlets, as well as a gym and a child-care centre within the adjacent Parish Church parvis.
Traffic studies indicate that the changes will increase the number of cars passing through the area from around 13,000 to more than 14,500 every day.
Project architect Ray Demicoli told the PA board the additional height had been made necessary due to extensive flooding of the lower car park levels during excavation. He also defended the additional facilities as vital to the sustainability of the car park.
Mr Demicoli argued, however, that the project included various measures to address air quality concerns, including a car pooling system for employees,
incentives for electric vehicles, and public lifts linking the car park to nearby Lapsi Street.
He added that studies had indicated a reduction in traffic from Spinola Piazza as a result of the project (due to drivers entering the complex directly from Triq Mikiel Ang Borg), reducing emissions in that area.
Developers have also included other “public gain” elements within the project, such as the restoration of the pedestrian foot bridge leading to the Parish Church, the extension of the church parvis, and a nearby food court.
The PA board imposed a €25,000 planning gain which will be used to fund a national air quality study, a measure previous applied to the Pama Supermarket and Hal Mann developments.
