Mriehel’s four towers ‘a sore thumb’ that will destroy Mdina vista – FAA

Contrary to MEPA’s policy of clustering tall buildings, FAA says Gasan-Tumas’s 18-storey development will rise like a sore thumb, jarring with the far lower skyline of neighbouring villages

Environmental NGO Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar has questioned plans by the Gasan and Tumas groups to build a four-tower project at Mriehel, and its effects on the commercial property market with dampened demand for commercial property.

FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said that MEPA officials had confirmed that at present levels of demand for commercial premises, the glut of properties will leave semi-vacant stock.

“The proposal to build four commercial towers at Mriehel could jeopardise the commercial success of other complexes. The Paola A4 Towers and Skyparks have not yet been filled, Smart City, and Metropolis have stalled, while Pendergardens Towers, the Exchange Business towers, the Farsons Business Park, Townsquare and Xemxija Towers projects are at various stages of development. Is it realistic to expect that all these projects will be filled, or will we waste more precious land on projects destined to remain semi-vacant and like many of the showrooms built in the past?” Vella asked.

MEPA’s high-rise policy paper was slammed by the Ombudsman when Mriehel, a site that hosts land owned by the Tumas Group of Companies and the Gasan headquarters, was included as an area for 18-storey development after the public consultation on the high-rise policy had taken place.

“Contrary to MEPA’s policy of clustering tall buildings, this 18-storey development will rise like a sore thumb, jarring with the far lower skyline of neighbouring villages,” Vella said of the Gasan-Tumas proposed Mriehel Towers.

“It will be seen from all Malta and will cast long shadows over residences, depriving them of light and solar rights. Last year, the International Council on Tall Buildings and the Urban Habitat along with the UNESCO Sustainability Committee issued a report questioning the sustainability of tall buildings. The fact that this complex will consume 7 million kWh of energy, the equivalent of energy consumed in a year by 1,500 to 1,600 residents, seems to confirm this. There is no indication that the developers have submitted LEED certification in energy consumption, as most European developers of such projects are obliged to do.”

The project will rise to 18 floors within the protected heritage vista between Mdina and Valletta, irrevocably altering the heritage view.

“If Malta is to attract cultural tourists, it needs to protect its cultural landscapes,” Vella said.

“Certain European countries including the UK stipulate that before being granted planning permission, sensitive developments need to show justification for their schemes, including evidence of market testing, and in some cases, a percentage of the property committed on plan. Before beginning to process such developments far more than the Environment Impact Statement requested by MEPA is required.

“MEPA needs to take on its responsibility as a regulator by demanding in-depth studies including social impact and cost-benefit analysis to prove the overriding necessity for such a development and the lack of negative impact on health and economic interests,” Vella said.