[WATCH] Civil society activists push for moratorium on high-rise projects

Put high-rise projects on hold pending masterplan completion, Civil Society Network says

Civil society activists have urged the government to put high-rise developments on hold, pending the development of a master plan.

Architect Reuben Borg, representing the Civil Society Network, said that such a master plan must assess the impacts of high-rise in matters such as traffic generation, duration of construction, shading of other areas, infrastructure, air pollution, wind effect, impact on skyline of world heritage sites, and its impact on the economic value of surrounding property and people’s quality of life.

Civil Society Network said it was not against high-rise but one needed a thorough study before moving on.

 “Breakthrough technologies in civil engineering are reflected through infrastructure such as bridges and high-rise, and we don’t want to come out against such developments because they are important to society,” Borg told a press conference outside Parliament. “However, a master plan assessing the economic, social and environmental impacts of high-rise must be drafted before such decisions are taken.”

Civil Society Network has e-mailed four political parties to request their support for a moratorium on high-rise. So far, Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku – set up this month by independent MP Marlene Farrugia – have backed their call. However, Borg said that neither the Labour Party nor the Nationalist Party have responded to their e-mail yet.

Moreover, Labour MP Franco Mercieca – as chairperson of Parliament’s environment and planning committee – rejected the Civil Society Network’s call for a debate on high-rise between MPs, NGOs, experts and civil society representatives.

“I understand your concerns on the ‘mega-development proposals’ that were reported in the media, but I hasten to add that the parliamentary committee for environment and planning is bound to assess the proposed master plan at two stages according to the Development Planning Act,” Mercieca wrote. “The committee will have two opportunities to discuss the proposals with the involvement of the eNGOs, that being the draft stage and before it is approved. Therefore, I think it is only fair that presently we allow the authorities to finalize and publish the master plan before we start discussing, as otherwise it will be an utter waste of time.”

The call for a moratorium has been backed by Din l-Art Helwa, Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Ramblers Association Malta, Qui-si-Sana & Tigne’ Residents Association, Sustainable Built Environment Malta, Youths for the Environment, Moviment Graffiti, and the Chamber of Planners.