OK, I’ll admit it: I love skyscrapers. Ever since I spent a couple of days in the city that doesn’t sleep, I have been fascinated with those tall lean fingers reaching out to snatch the clouds.

Whether they be the iconic Twin Towers from which I twice managed to enjoy the spectacle which is New York City and is still now a ghost-like presence in many people's minds, or the totally crazy structures reminiscent of the Hanna Barbera cartoon The Jetsons over on the other side of the planet in Shanghai.

These mega-structures fascinate me as they push the creativity and knowledge of man. For example, did you know that, until last week, no lift could travel more than 500 metres as any longer and the steel cables would snap under their own weight? Or did you know that snow falls upwards at the top of the Empire State building? The building creates its own updrafts.

Take a close look at it, because our politicians, architects, contractors and ‘developers’ are about to give you more of the same. A lot more

So you would think I would be quite looking forward to seeing our very own Paceville/St George’s Bay turned into a mini megalopolis. And I should be first in line to be applauding our PM for pointing out that stopping major construction work was "not an option". After all, as Joseph Muscat himself says, there is a strong argument against the "sprawl of buildings" and to avoid that "we need to go higher".

Exactly my point, Mr PM. In order to protect the village core and the indigenous architecture we need to build a couple of high-rise towers and that will solve any housing problems we may have.

Except that…

Well, for one thing, is there really a need for so many new apartments? The President of the Chamber of Architects, Christopher Mintoff, just recently referred to the Montebello syndrome (the Montebello brothers were behind the failed Mistra Village project, described as "monstrous" by Din l-Art Ħelwa, and which finally ran aground in January this year due to lack of funds and overabundance of supply).

For another thing, what is going on with St George’s bay and since when have both the Corinthia and the Seabank hotels suddenly becoming real estate developers? (Not to mention who wants to come to a 6-star hotel, surrounded by high-rise apartments and, well, very little else.)

And then there is the issue of urban planning.

This tiny, fragile little bay is to be home to I don’t know how many apartments, apparently because there is a lack of quality buildings on the island. I have always been fascinated by what the Maltese consider ‘quality’.

For example their love affair with marble is something I have never understood. As to what they consider a ‘quality lifestyle’ I should leave that to your imagination.

No, in fact, I’ll tell you: the Maltese idea of a quality lifestyle is having shops at your doorstep. That can be the only reason why all these high-rise developments always include shopping malls in their design. Nowhere did I see any discussion about recreation spaces for children and adults. There was no talk of creating parks for relaxation, no talk of the infrastructure needed.

Which brings us to the village core. Remember those? Yes, they’re the reason we were supposed to allow high-rises: to save the village core.

Over the last few months I have been travelling up north (if one can say that about a small speck called Malta), and what I saw shocked me.

What used to be small villages or hamlets centred round a central piazza, have become, to use the PM’s own words, urban sprawl

What used to be small villages or hamlets centred round a central piazza, have become, to use the PM’s own words, "urban sprawl". Mġarr and Żebbiegħ are now one village and Manikata seems to be an ever evolving construction site. And now there is news of Lija.

The three villages of Lija, Balzan and Attard are unique for being low-lying garden towns. It is bad enough that the outskirts have been polluted by a cement factory and some very ugly buildings. Are we really willing to say goodbye to even this?

Valletta’s skyline has been decimated thanks to the slums for the rich known as Tigne Point. And the views from Valletta to the north are equally distressing as the skyline of Sliema towers over Fort Manoel with silhouettes of Malta’s national bird - the crane - nestled in between half finished concrete fingers.

Take a close look at it, because our politicians, architects, contractors and ‘developers’ are about to give you more of the same. A lot more.

And all in the name of  progress and... erm... quality of life.