Santa Venera residents tell AD youths that the high-rise project will increase congestion

PN claims current laws do not prohibit substitution of ERA member for PA Board meetings

The residents of Santa Venera have voiced their discontent at the recent approval of the Mrieħel high-rise project during a vox pop organised by the Alternattiva Demokratika Zgħazagħ (ADZ).

Among the complaints made by residents in the ADZ video, was that the development will most likely result in an increase in traffic. One person pointed out that traffic will increase during the construction phase and that, once the project has been completed, traffic will increase during the morning and evening rush hours.

On 4 August, the Planning Authority approved the Mrieħel project, which will consist of four towers – 14, 15, 17 and 19 storeys high. The project will cost around €70 million. The towers will be built around a piazza and will have five basement levels. It is estimated that construction will take four years.

A number of ENGOs have opposed the project, arguing that the project in question was inserted into the high-rise policy plan ‘by stealth’, as Mrieħel was not originally indicated as a possible location for high-rise development.

One woman spoke about a number of negative aspects: “...among which is traffic, with people on their way to Mrieħel passing through Santa Venera. This will have impacts on the health of Santa Venera residents, as well as the eyesore caused by the high-rise buildings. I think development is good, but only if it is planned properly,”

Another man, referring to the development as ‘a monstrosity’, said that although residents had been very pleased to see Wignacourt Arch rebuilt, anyone who wanted to take a photograph of it in the future will see a monstrosity in the background, thus ruining the view of the monument. However, he said that the visual impact is not the most worrying. “What does worry me is that no proper study on the The Nationalist Party yesterday claimed that current laws do not prohibit the substitution of an Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) representative during Planning Authority meetings.

ERA Chairman Viktor Axiak was absent on the day when the Townsquare development was approved, resulting in the project being given the go-ahead with the slimmest of vote margins.

“The government is in a state of panic following one environmental fiasco after another. On Friday, TVM aired a long news broadcast where Environment Minister Jose Herrera and Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri said they will change the law to make it possible to substitute the Environment and Resources Authority representative environmental impact such a project would have has been carried out”, he said – going on to refer to traffic and sewage problems that could result.

The same man mentioned that, despite all the asphalt and buildings, there is no greenery in that part of Malta. “We haven’t seen a single tree planted,” he said. “Do we not think about planting trees so that people can breathe fresh clean air?” on the Planning Authority Board,” the PN statement read.

“This is nothing but an exercise in damage control”.

“Both Minister Herrera and Dr Schembri are wrong as present PA laws state that the ERA must have a representative. This means that it does not necessarily have to be the same person, as the word used in the law is representative and not nominee. More than that, Planning Authority laws do not prohibit a substitution of an ERA representative.

“Both Dr Herrera and Dr Schembri need to stop hiding behind indefensible excuses and carry political responsibility, and ensure that political appointees who were meant to be appointed in order to safeguard the environment, do their duty.”