MEPA approves Paceville underground car park and public garden

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) Board earlier today approved an outline development application for the construction of an underground car park with an overlying public garden in Paceville.   

MEPA requested that the applicant enters into a public deed to oblige him to maintain the public garden beyond the five year term of a development permit and ensure that it will remain freely and fully accessible to the pubic.

MEPA imposed a bank guarantee of €72,800 and requested that the applicant engages qualified archaeological or heritage consultants to oversee that works will not compromise this archaeological military architecture.

The approved underground car park, which can be accessed from the Westin Dragonara Resort, will accommodate 112 cars over two levels.

A section of land situated along the Paceville promenade served as an illegal car park for years and has now been left abandoned. This land will now be transformed into a public open garden.

A three metre barriered zone along the perimeter of the garden will be paved to protect and enable the public to appreciate the coastal entrenchment wall.

This demi-bastion, which is scheduled as Grade 2 military wall, forms part of the extensive eighteenth century coastal 'trincieramento' which originally spanned all the way from St George’s Bay to St Julian's Bay.

The Mepa Board also approved seven planning applications for residential apartments with garages in the development zone area of Ta’ Hal Mula limits of Zebbug.