The residents' associations of Tigne' and Sliema have welcomed the inauguration of George Bonello du Puis Garden at Qui-Si-Sana but expressed fears of the area becoming another Paceville.

They said the inauguration of the garden marked the end to years of official neglect of the area. With this garden, the threat of the building of a complex and car park had also finally been laid to rest.

However the new garden would naturally increase traffic and pedestrian flow in the area, leading to an increase in pressure for catering/entertainment facilities, they said.

This, in theory was forbidden by the North Harbour Local Plan, which was designed to protect residential areas from such facilities.

However, they complained, the whole of the Tigne peninsula had been cut off from the rest of Sliema in planning terms, with Mepa allowing 'rampant over-development'.

They also claimed that Mepa is 'doing its utmost to circumvent the planning laws to achieve its aim in turning Qui-si-sana into a commercial area'.

They said that the Authority had 'benevolently' interpreted the North Harbour Local Plan allowing transposition of a Paceville-specific policy to Qui-Si-Sana.

"The opening of this loophole makes a mockery of zoning laws and flouts the Prime Minister’s solemn promise in June 2009 that Mepa would not allow exploitation of any loopholes which violate the spirit of planning policies. Moreover the ruling specifically downgrades the status of Qui-Si-Sana as a residential area and deliberately encourages possibility of further commercial premises in the area," they said.