|
James Debono
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has said the Qui-Si-Sana car park will not become another “Baystreet”, an allusion to the commercial and entertainment centre in Paceville, but he has “absolutely no intention” of changing the development brief which proposes tourism-related development in what is still a quiet residential area.
Residents are now fearing the quaint Sliema neighbourhood will become a new Paceville.
“There is nothing wrong with having a visitor’s attraction and innovative, tourism-related development as long as these are within the parameters of the development brief,” a spokesperson for the Prime Minister told MaltaToday.
The 2002 development brief, approved without any public consultation, states that 7,000 square metres could be used for “innovative tourist related/leisure development, which may be coupled with other leisure uses, and an element of catering provision.”
The latest plans include a 24-lane bowling alley, theatre, exhibition centre, open air restaurant and bar, childcare centre, bureau de change, health spa and gym, hamams, juice bar, cafeteria, newsagent, sandwich bar and other unspecified ‘retail’ areas.
The Prime Minister has refrained from expressing judgement on these plans as it is up to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to decide whether or not the developer’s proposals are in accordance with the brief.
“The government will insist that the activities must provide the right balance between financial viability and residents’ concerns regarding noise,” a spokesperson said.
While defending “innovative” development within the car park, the Prime Minister rejects any comparison between the Qui-Si-Sana project and Baystreet. In a heated exchange with MaltaToday columnist Claire Bonello during TV programme Opinjonisti two weeks ago, the Prime Minister insisted that the Qui-Si-Sana car park will not be an entertainment complex. Bonello was quoting Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo’s words in a previous television appearance that the car park could only be viable if it is attached to a commercial venture.
“The project will not be a second Baystreet as alleged by one of the callers during the programme,” Gonzi’s spokesperson said.
Initially Baystreet was also set to host a number of visitors’ attractions such as a children’s ‘discovery centre’, but after some time these were transformed into retail outlets.
According to the Prime Minister the brief’s ‘innovative tourism attraction’ was introduced to make the development sufficiently viable for the private sector to develop 600 underground parking spaces.
“The development brief as issued provides a mechanism which allows for the provision of car parking without any expenditure of taxpayers’ money.”
According to the PM’s spokesperson, the development brief offers enough safeguards for residents because with the exception of a small kiosk, all development in the area will be underground. “The existing garden will therefore expand from its present size to one which is 40 per cent larger, providing more open space that will be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.”
Despite the electoral setback in last week’s election, the Prime Minister still contends that the Qui-Si-Sana parking is a necessity in a locality where parking difficulties experienced by non-residents are set to increase once the Residents Parking Zone is introduced.
The RPZ is aimed to secure more parking space for residents by restricting parking to visitors to an hour for visitors parking in these zones.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
|
