Court upholds prohibitory injunction to stop PA approval of Mriehel Towers

The law courts have upheld a temporary injunction to put a stop on a meeting of the Planning Authority to approve or reject the Mriehel Towers project.

The writ was filed by NGOs led by Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar.

The Mriehel Towers proposed by the Gasan and Tumas business groups consists of four cylindrical tower blocks, comprising 16, 18, 20 and 14 storeys, sitting on top of five basement levels.

The application for the mega development was presented in October 2014 on a site adjacent to that of the present Gasan head office on the Mriehel bypass.

Mriehel was not included among the localities that will be considered for high-rise buildings of over 10 storeys, when a policy regulating building heights was first issued for public consultation in November 2013. This meant that the public never had any chance to comment on the choice of this site.

But then Mriehel was added to the list just before the policy was approved in June. Planning Ombudsman David Pace had also criticised the inclusion of Mriehel in the approved zones where  high rise development can take place.

The erection of four high-rise towers at Mriehel is expected to result in a daily increase of 1,362 cars a day passing from Triq l-Imdina, according to the Environment Impact Statement on the impact of the proposed towers by Tumas and Gasan Groups.

The Water Services Corporation has asked the developers to submit an insurance policy covering €2.47 million in possible damages to the sewage infrastructure and for a contingency plan should the sewage gallery in the area collapse.

A case officer report is recommending the approval of the project, despite studies showing that it will result in a parking shortfall of 498 parking spaces, which would be in breach of policy.

In 2015 developer Ray Fenech told MaltaToday that the Tumas and Gasan will be investing €70 million in the project.