Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1050749
NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 NOVEMBER 2018 JAMES DEBONO 100 new apartments and 740sq.m of retail space are be- ing proposed in the archaeolog- ically-sensitive Tal-Qares area in Mosta along Triq id-Difiza Civ- ili, next to a recently approved showroom on an area added to the building zones in 2006. The application comes with a proposal for "signage" and a "viewing platform" for the archaeological remains to be viewed by the public. The remains, described as "im- portant archaeological assets", were found during an exhaus- tive archaeological investigation of the site. The 100 dwelling units, retail shops and car park will be built over a total of 5,900 sq.m, with the part of the site that includes archaeological remains being in- tegrated in the development as a public space. The field on which the devel- opment will take place has al- ready been cleared to enable the archaeological investigation. A traffic impact assessment pointed out the shortfall in park- ing spaces due to the impossibil- ity of carrying out excavations in the area because of its archaeo- logical value. While the residenc- es will require 116 parking spaces, only 80 parking spaces are being proposed. Developers say they will compensate for this shortage through a monetary contribu- tion to the Planning Authority's Urban Improvement Fund. The assessment concludes that the project will not have a negative impact on the capacity of existing junctions and roads. The development is being pro- posed by Attard Developments. Archaeologists have dated the Tal-Qares site back to the Bronze Age. It is known to in- clude vine trenches, ancient quarries, plenty of ancient rock features, several water cisterns and water harvesting systems and an extensive ancient wall built with large square stones. Neighbouring fields also show important Roman remains and pottery sherds litter the land. In August 2017, the PA contro- versially approved a four-storey block by AX Holdings, consist- ing of a showroom, maisonettes, apartments, penthouses and basement garages in an adjacent site. The area had been added to development boundaries in the 2006 rationalisation despite its designation as an 'Area of Ar- chaeological Importance'. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 100 new apartments to rise next to Mosta archaeological site Archaeologists have dated the Tal- Qares site back to the Bronze Age 7 • 17 • 16 • 65 • 45 / 43 • 64 • 46 10-11-2018 Draw No: 749