[WATCH] PN still studying masterplan proposals, warns against ‘turning it into a wish list’

Opposition leader says any master plan for St Julian’s and Paceville should not be simply a ‘wish list’ for people the government wants to help • He insists land reclamation would lead to further property speculation and reduce public access to shoreline

Simon Busuttil visted the stands set up for Fresher's Week on campus
Simon Busuttil visted the stands set up for Fresher's Week on campus
Simon Busuttil on St Julian's master plan

Any masterplan for the St Julian’s and Paceville area should not be a ‘wish list drawn up by people the government wants to help’ but should provide a level playing field for all interested parties, according to opposition leader Simon Busuttil.

There should not be any land reclamation included in any development projects leading to speculation, also because this would further reduce accessibility to the coastline by the public, he insisted.

Busuttil, who was addressing journalists while visiting stands set up for Fresher’s Week on the University of Malta campus, said that Nationalist Party was still evaluating the master plan proposed but welcomed the notion of a master plan for the area.

“This in itself is a welcome development and we support the drawing up of a masterplan for the area,” he said.

“But this should be presented as a level playing field and should not simply be a wish list drawn up by people that the government wants to help.”

His comments echo those of St Julian’s deputy mayor Albert Buttigieg who, in an article over the weekend, called the master plan a “smokescreen drawn up to cover pre-election agreements”.

Busttil said that when on campus it soon became evident that the university was a village in itself, and that the need for a more efficient transport system was felt very strongly, as access to transport was in high demand.

“In the last three and a half years, the problem – that was admittedly already there before – has not improved at all but has instead taken a turn for the worse,” he said.

“This is why we have put forward a number of proposals to tackle this problem, including the introduction of a tram system that would also make accessibility to the university much easier, even for Gozitan students, who would no longer need to rent a flat in the vicinity as they would be able to commute to campus every day.”