Organisations have objected for the fourth time to the db Group’s project on the ex-ITS site. They state that the new plans do not address the main concerns repeatedly raised over the past three years in relation to this massive and intensive development in a predominantly residential area adjacent to two Natura 2000 sites. The public can still object with the Planning Authority to the db Group’s project through this form until this Friday 12th February.
The organisations noted that, although the new plans are being portrayed as a downscaling of the initial plans, there are in fact only minimal changes to the project’s overall volume. The applicant now proposes building two towers instead of one, adding three residential floors to those in the previous plans. Thus, the main points of concern, detailed below, remain totally unaddressed and the amended proposal is still completely out of context with its surroundings.
The volume of activity it will generate in the area of Pembroke, Swieqi and St Julian’s, as well as the spillover of Paceville into Pembroke, will be unsustainable and will degrade the quality of life for thousands of residents and visitors of the impacted localities. Moreover, the infrastructure in the area is currently unsuitable for a development of this scale and the separate proposal of a tunnel leading to this project is objectionable in its own right. To add insult to injury, such a tunnel would be yet another example of infrastructural works for the lucrative benefit of a private investor financed by taxpayers.
The new plans do not reduce the aggressive impact on the surrounding natural environment and Natura 2000 sites, and neither do they allay fears about the potentially disastrous consequences on the adjacent Għar Ħarq il-Ħamiem, a submerged terrestrial cave system of unique geological and ecological value. Also, the plans still pose a threat to the visual integrity of the Grade 2 Scheduled St George’s Barracks, and the fate of the Cold War bunker remains unclear.
It is inconceivable that a private project with a negative impact of this scale is being proposed on public land, in a case where the Auditor General found multiple irregularities in its transfer to the db Group. The project has attracted a record amount of objections – 15,000 objections over the previous three objection periods – and staunch opposition from all directions, including residents, local councils, business groups, and NGOs. The fact that Government seems deaf to this unprecedented outcry speaks volumes.
The only sensible way forward is the definitive withdrawal of plans for such an overwhelming development in this residential area.
- BirdLife Malta
- Din l-Art Ħelwa
- Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
- Friends of the Earth Malta
- Green House
- Moviment Graffitti
- Nature Trust Malta
- Rota
- Sustainable Built Environment Malta
- The Archaeological Society Malta
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Organizzazzjonijiet oġġezzjonaw għar-raba’ darba għall-proġett tad-db Group fuq is-sit fejn qabel kien hemm l-ITS. Huma jiddikjaraw li l-pjanti l-ġodda ma jindirizzawx il-problemi prinċipali li ilhom jissemmew ripetutament għal dawn l-aħħar tliet snin b’rabta ma’ dan l-iżvilupp massiċċ u intensiv f’żona primarjament residenzjali li tmiss ma żewġ siti ta’ Natura 2000. Il-pubbliku għadu jista’ joġġezzjona mal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar għall-proġett tad-db Group permezz ta’ din il-formola sa nhar il-Ġimgħa 12 ta’ Frar.
L-organizzazzjonijiet innutaw li, għalkemm il-pjanti l-ġodda qed jiġu mpinġijin bħala tnaqqis fuq il-pjanti oriġinali, fil-fatt il-bidliet li saru huma minimi ħafna meta tqis il-volum kollu tal-proġett. L-applikant issa qed jipproponi li jibni żewġ torrijiet minflok wieħed, filwaqt li żdiedu tliet sulari residenzjali mal-pjanti ta’ qabel. Għalhekk, il-punti prinċipali li huma ta’ tħassib serju, baqgħu ma ġew indirizzati bl-ebda mod u l-proposta emendata għadha tistona kompletament mal-ambjent tal-madwar.
Il-volum ta’ attività li se jkun iġġenerat fl-akkwati ta’ Pembroke, is-Swieqi u San Ġiljan, kif ukoll l-estensjoni ta’ Paceville ġo Pembroke, mhumiex sostenibbli u se jnaqqru l-kwalità tal-ħajja ta’ eluf ta’ residenti u ta’ dawk li jżuru dawn l-inħawi. Barra minn hekk, l-infrastruttura li hemm bħalissa f’din iż-żona ma tiflaħx għal żvilupp ta’ din l-iskala filwaqt li l-proposta apparti ta’ mina li twassal għal dan il-proġett hija oġġezzjonabbli fiha nnifisha.
Biex tgħaxxaqha, din il-mina hija biss eżempju ieħor ta’ xogħol infrastrutturali maħluq għall-benefiċċju ta’ investitur privat imħallas mit-taxxi tal-poplu.
Il-pjanti l-ġodda ma jnaqqsux l-impatt aggressiv fuq l-ambjent naturali tal-madwar u fuq is-siti ta’ Natura 2000; lanqas ma jtaffu l-biża’ ta’ konsegwenzi potenzjalment diżastrużi fuq Għar Ħarq il-Ħamiem, sistema ta’ għerien ta’ valur ġeoloġiku u ekoloġiku uniku. Barra minn dan, il-pjanti xorta għadhom ta’ theddida għall-integrità viżwali ta’ St George’s Barracks li huma skedati bħala Grad 2, filwaqt li d-destin tal-bunker ta’ żmien il-Gwerra l-Bierda għadu mhux ċar.
Huwa inkonċepibbli li proġett privat b’impatt negattiv ta’ din l-iskala qed jiġi propost fuq art pubblika, f’każ fejn l-Awditur Ġenerali sab diversi irregolaritajiet fil-mod ta’ kif l-art ġiet mgħoddija lid-db Group. Il-proġett attira ammont rekord ta’ oġġezzjonijiet – 15,000 oġġezzjoni matul it-tliet perjodi ta’ qabel – u oġġezzjoni qawwija minn kull direzzjoni, inkluż mir-residenti, mill-kunsilli lokali, minn kumpaniji, u NGOs. Il-fatt li l-Gvern jibqa’ ma jridx jagħti widen għal din ir-reżistenza kollha, fiha ħafna x’tomgħod.
L-unika triq ‘il quddiem li tagħmel sens hija li minnufih jiġu rtirati l-pjanti għal dan l-iżvilupp massiċċ li se jidfen ħajja żona residenzjali.
- BirdLife Malta
- Din l-Art Ħelwa
- Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
- Friends of the Earth Malta
- Green House
- Moviment Graffitti
- Nature Trust Malta
- Rota
- Sustainable Built Environment Malta
- The Archaeological Society Malta
