Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1430105
10 COMMERCIAL 18.11.2021 A plan for Cottonera THERE are few jewels in Malta's crown as unique as the ree Cities. Set across from Valletta in the middle of the Grand Harbour, they are a cacophony of people, places, architecture, and activities that have evolved over the centuries. Today, this location truly is one of the island's most vibrant. But it was not long ago that the ree Cities, or Cottonera as they are also known, felt very differ- ent and much of its rich heritage risked being lost to depredation and disrepair. ankfully, its incredible history and buildings began to draw people to it, and both private and public projects have seen it brought to life in ways that may have seemed impossible just a couple of decades ago. Now, attention is back on Cottonera to see through the implementation of the Strategy for Cottonera, which was announced by the Government in 2018. at strategy was drawn up with numer- ous stakeholders at its helm, including the Planning Authority – led by a Steer- ing Committee chaired by Glenn Bed- ingfield. "When it was being drawn up, the Strategy was designed to improve the social and environmental make up of the Cottonera area," Mr Gauci explains. "In the years prior, it was clear that Valletta has received much attention and numer- ous upgrades, and that now was the time to shift focus to this important region too." e creation of the strategy took sever- al months and the PA, as one of the con- tributing stakeholders, was engaged to help prepare it. e Authority had pre- viously worked on the Strategy for Val- letta, which meant it was experienced as to the best approach to take to find and formulate the information needed. "Often, planning is associated with physical work, such as the regeneration of buildings," Mr Gauci continues, add- ing that it is so important to humanise the planning process. "But planning is critical to the regeneration of our entire society." In fact, what made the Cottonera Strat- egy document different is that it put people first. "You cannot decouple so- cioeconomic contexts from what is hap- pening from a physical point of view," he explains. "Whenever plans do focus just on the physical – like roads or buildings – things do improve but not holistically. On top of that, locals often feel left out because the home they once knew and understood has been gentrified and has With the Strategy for Cottonera now in implementation phase, work has begun to not just safeguard the Cottonera region but to ensure it evolves and thrives well into the future – all thanks to careful planning. Here, Planning Authority official Joseph Gauci explains why planning really is key to the future success of our society's story