The Guardian for Future Generations noticed the interesting article penned by Anthony Ellul, general secretary of Malta Chamber of Planners (December 8).
The Guardian is pleased that its proposal to give some semblance of order to our streets by having a template for each street that will be the standard for all future construction has created so much attention.
After all, the Guardian’s proposal is not original but is a copy of the European planners’ ideas for their cities, which had been drawn up and executed centuries ago and which has embellished the European towns’ main squares and streets such as the one seen of St Petersburg (picture).
In fact, towards the beginning of the past century, there were beautifully-planned streets, such as Tower Road in Sliema, which paraded rows of two-storey buildings complete with bay windows and useful front patios. These have disappeared and have not been replaced anywhere else.
Ellul draws our attention to the existing planning policies. Of course, the Guardian is aware of all these polices. But, as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, as has happened in this case. What we would like to know is where have these plans been followed and where are they to be seen in practice. Perhaps his proposal is that of leaving architects imagining themselves to be a recreation of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí and to continue to destroy our streets, as is happening now.
The Guardian likes the line in Ellul’s article: “Creativity is achieved by designing a building that integrates well with the context and streetscape.” Exactly what the Guardian is proposing.
On the other hand, it is disheartening for the Guardian to see the correspondent does not think that having a template and having buildings with the same height, colour and form is the right solution.
So what is? We feel our plan should have been adopted ages ago and would have halted in its tracks this mad rush for building incongruous and ugly blocks.
The people responsible for good street planning had their chance and they blew it.
The result of our proposal will not be seen immediately but, in time, our children and grandchildren and even those who are just a thought in their parents’ brains will inherit beautifully-planned streets.
The main purpose of the Guardian is to safeguard the happiness of our future generations, which is seriously being jeopardised by the present badly-planned and uncontrolled building mania.