It’s time to move beyond the glitz

The Grand Harbour regeneration plans announced recently by the government are more than welcome, especially for Marsa residents.

It has to be underscored that these latest plans, which target several areas around the port, will be the fourth iteration of a regeneration process first promised in 2007. Indeed, the Labour administrations since 2013 have been responsible for three such plans, including the latest one.

None of these four plans materialised as a holistic vision. What emerged over the years, where sporadic projects that transformed some of the areas around the Grand Harbour. The Valletta cruise port terminal, the Birgu waterfront, the transformation of Bormla’s Dock 1 area into an open space and the Esplora Science Centre at Villa Bighi in Kalkara are the most notable seafront developments that took place.

Each of these projects delivered value added to the economy and society. Birgu and Bormla have gradually transformed into go-to areas for leisure activities. The regeneration of their seafronts helped fuel private investment into boutique hotels, restaurants and bars. This in turn raised property prices in the area to the benefit of home owners. But on the flipside the transformation also made it impossible for young locals to purchase their own homes in these localities having been outpriced of the property market.

Furthermore, certain aspects of the Birgu waterfront project were never completed, leaving buildings half-constructed and a casino that shut its doors never to open again. Additionally, in all these projects the provision of adequate parking facilities was ignored.

Furthermore, a promised extension of the quay beneath Corradino Hill through land reclamation remains an unfinished project as a result of litigation. This had been earmarked as a crucial project to provide additional commercial berthing space for cargo vessels.

Government must look at these past projects to learn from the successes and the problems. The former can be replicated with sensitivity to the new communities that will be impacted, while the latter should be avoided through better processes.

In the new plans, the focus appears to be the inner part of the Grand Harbour, from the Floriana ramparts all the way to Jesuit’s Hill in Marsa. The plan attempts to create public areas of enjoyment, waterfront pedestrian zones, a yacht marina, entertainment establishments, offices and residential units. It does so by integrating some of the industrial maritime activities that make use of the inner part of Grand Harbour.

The one thing government must ensure is to have a plan that is feasible, executable and entrusted to one entity with the budget to turn glitzy presentations into reality. Unfortunately, over the past five years there have been too many public projects that were launched with fan fair and failed to materialise. In other projects, tenders were issued only to be scuppered after successful legal challenges.

None of the major infrastructural projects outlined in the Labour Party’s 2022 manifesto to create gardens and open spaces by shifting main roads underground have materialised. The glitzy plans for a metro were abandoned and rediscovered later in the day to be re-jigged for a scaled down version—at least that is what we have been told. The Magħtab incinerator, crucial for Malta’s waste management plans, remains stuck in limbo after the umpteenth tendering problems. The carnival village, or rather cultural hub in Albert Town, is also on pause because of legal wrangling over the tendering process. The motorsport racing circuit and quarter mile drag racing track have missed deadline after deadline.

If the government is serious about regenerating the inner Grand Harbour it must put the money where its mouth is and ensure project management is diligent and efficient.

Furthermore, public spaces that will benefit the community at large, especially Marsa residents should be prioritised over offices and residences. Even within the residential component, the government must ensure that a percentage of properties can be accessible to ordinary families thus giving the local community the chance to regenerate itself.

We believe the community should be consulted at conceptual stage to understand how the new investment can benefit the residents first and foremost. The result should also serve to create a new destination for people to spend their free time in.

Marsa has for too long suffered the brunt of industrial malaise as a result of its location at the heart of the port area. It deserves a new lease of life that respects its maritime heritage and the richness of its community.

We hope that the plans, the ideas and the glossy brochures will, in the short term, translate into beautiful, sustainable concrete projects that benefit the common good above all else.