“Getting to Sliema is already such a big problem. It takes 30 minutes to get in, 30 minutes to get out. Sliema is really dirty at the moment, lots of rats about, I can’t begin to imagine what it will be like when construction works start.” Christine Xuereb – 36. Photos: Chris Sant Fournier

Sliema residents who live a stone’s throw away from the Townsquare project site in Tigné say they are more concerned about the initial construction phase than the long-term impact of the development.

Residents who spoke to The Sunday Times of Malta yesterday said that at present, their main concern was the incessant construction work to be carried out once the project gets under way.

For 84-year-old resident Theresa Vassallo, who was born in Sliema and has lived in her apartment just off Qui-Si-Sana for the past 16 years, her greatest worry is the noise pollution.

“When I open my bedroom window, I’ll be right in the middle of it all. I can’t begin to imagine all the noise and dust we’ll have to endure,” she said.

“You can’t even open windows anymore. In summer we can forget all about enjoying a light breeze, because they’re taking that away.” Theresa Vassallo – 84

Ms Vassallo also complained about the height of the tower, adding that having a 38-storey high building meant she would no longer be able to enjoy any sunshine in her apartment.

Another resident, 80-year-old Joseph Camenzuli, who also runs the London Store, a small family-run grocery story open since 1946, said he was worried the works could cause damage to the older buildings in the area.

He insisted that while heavy traffic was the order of the day for the locality and many residents were accustomed to having to deal with traffic jams, the project would make this worse.

“I meet many of the residents on a daily basis and you can tell the mood here is quite sombre at the moment. A lot of people are concerned about this project. It’s going to have an impact on all our lives,” Mr Camenzuli said.

“I’m sure this will negatively impact my business. We’re not getting anything out of this, just more noise and dust.” Joseph Camenzuli – 80

Echoing similar concerns, resident Christine Xuereb, who also runs an art gallery in the area, said the traffic situation there was already a problem, claiming that many drivers regularly parked their cars in the way, blocking access to garages and at times even some of the narrower streets. While she is not concerned about the building of the tower itself, she thinks the increase in people and cars is worrying.

Yet while the majority of residents roaming the streets yesterday told this newspaper they were against the project, others claimed to be indifferent.

One resident said that while he understood some of the concerns being put forward by other residents, as long as the project did not impact his day-to-day life directly he did not have any problem with it being approved.

“Had there not been any other tall buildings in the area, I’d understand people’s reluctance, but Sliema has become full of such development. Why is this an issue?” Frank Cutajar – 54

Another resident, Frank Cutajar, said he too saw no reason why the tower should not be built, adding that there were a number of other high-rise buildings in Sliema and this was no different. He also believed such a project could boost business in the area.