Isla council reiterates demand for free parking spaces in objection to AUM expansion

The Isla council has reiterated its call for free parking spaces for residents to be included in the proposed American University of Malta campus in Bormla.

The development foresees an underground car park and a dormitory in Saint Paul Square in Bormla, an additional storey on the Knights building and an extension of the same building in the direction of Saint Michael’s fort.

In its submission filed on Thursday with the Planning Authority by mayor Clive Pulis, the council expressed concern about the lack of adequate parking provisions. It warned this will have a negative impact on residents and visitors alike.

The council has reiterated demands made earlier this year, which include a proposal to grant free access to a number of parking spaces to Isla residents on a pro rata basis.

The council also insisted that only 50% of parking spaces should be reserved for AUM staff and students, and should the plans be modified to increase the amount of car parking spaces in the area, these should be reserved for residents and increased pro-rata. 

The planning application foresees the excavation of the existing surface car park and adjoining roads at Triq San Pawl and construction of a multilevel underground parking for 180 parking spaces with a student accommodation building above, including a surface car park with 41 spaces.

A Transport Impact Assessment had concluded that the project will create an additional 326 car trips to the area and would require 220 parking spaces. These calculations were made on the assumption that a significant portion of the student population will not use private cars for the simple reason “that most students and a number of staff members will be foreign”.

The case officer is recommending the approval of the project but has called for a postponement of a decision on “the massing, height and architectural treatment” of the five-storey high dormitory building which will be subject to a separate planning application to be presented within six months.