Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/815607
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 26 APRIL 2017 News 10-storey residential block proposed at Smart City JAMES DEBONO AN imposing 10-storey residential block is being proposed on top of a two storey commercial complex and a 3-storey car park at Smart City. The commercial complex which includes retail shops and a super- market will be "partially below ground" and will front a land- scaped plaza along and a laguna walk overlooking the sea. The project is being proposed by Ricasoli Estates Limited, a com- pany owned by Jade Property In- vestments owned by South African businessman Otto Ryan Edward, Ramm Assets Limited owned by owned by Roderick Psaila and Marion Psaila and MiddleTown Properties Limited owned by Kevin Deguara and Jean Carl Far- rugia. According to the policy regulat- ing high-rise development 10 sto- rey buildings are consider as me- dium rise buildings. Kalkara is not one of the localities where medium rises are permitted. Anything above that is considered a high-rise building. But although Kalkara has not been included among the locations where both medium rise and high rise development can be permitted, a 12-storey hotel has already been proposed as part of the ITS campus which is being relocated from the present site in Saint Julian's. An application for a 7-storey hos- pital has also been presented on another part of Smart City. Amas Co Ltd, 1 Lourdes Crt., Massabielle Str., San Gwann T: 2138 1667 M: 9949 8566 E: amasco@maltanet.net Hollande warns France against voting for Marine Le Pen FRENCH outgoing President Fran- cois Hollande has warned of "the risk for our country's future" if far- right leader Marine Le Pen were to win the presidential election. Speaking to voters from the Ely- see Palace, the Socialist leader said France is in danger of "becoming isolated and breaking away from the EU" if Le Pen swept to power. Emmanuel Macron and Le Pen, leader of the National Front (FN), go head-to-head on May 7 after ob- taining the most votes in Sunday's first round. Opinion polls indicate that the business-friendly Macron, who has never held elected office, will take at least 61 percent of the vote against Le Pen after two defeated rivals pledged to back him to thwart her eurosceptic, anti-immigrant plat- form. Hollande is currently the most unpopular president in France's his- tory and did not seek re-election for himself. His party's candidate, Benoit Ha- mon, was knocked out in the first round of the presidential election on Sunday after receiving just 6% of the vote. During his address, Hollande claimed the purchasing power of the French people would be directly hit if Le Pen won the run-off vote on 7 May – with "unprecedented price increases" in stores and thousands of jobs being lost. "Faced with the terrorism threat – that demands solidarity and the cohesion of our country – the far- right would deeply divide France and would stigmatize a part of our citizens due to their origins or their religion," he said. "It would threaten our freedom and the principles that founded the Republic." Macron's independent En Marche! group won 23.75% of votes in the first round, while Le Pen's Front Na- tional won 21.53%. Both candidates have now returned to the campaign trail, with less than two weeks to go before French voters return to the ballot boxes. Le Pen steps down as National Front leader A move which appeared to be aimed at appealing to a wider range of potential voters, Le Pen announced she was temporarily stepping down as Front National leader in order to focus on her campaign. Opinion polls suggest Macron is firm favourite for the second round but Le Pen said: "We can win, we will win." The French term she used sig- nalled that the move to step aside would be temporary. She told France 2 that France was approaching a "decisive mo- ment". She said she wanted to be "above partisan considerations" – with allies calling on those who backed the unsuccessful far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon to continue voting "outside the system" by switching their support to Le Pen. Meanwhile, Macron's party spokesman has challenged Le Pen on her claim to being the anti-es- tablishment candidate, taking on the country's elites. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen