Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462347
7 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 MARCH 2022 LUKE VELLA A €40 million investment will trans- form the San Luċjan oiltanking facility in Birżebbuġa into a space for families, re- search and investment. Energy and Sustainability Minister Miriam Dalli announced the project in a press conference on Tuesday, saying the zone would be regenerated into a recrea- tional zone for families, serving also as an attraction for investment into new eco- nomic niches. The project has been labelled 'Is-Siċċa' (cuttlefish) and will cover an 18,000 square metre area. It will also serve as a hub, for research and innovation for new industries such as aquaculture, the blue economy and the circular economy. The project was designed by the inter- nationally renowned architectural com- pany Pininfarina, with a design that not only complements the surrounding nat- ural environment but uses natural meas- ures for a better climate condition in the building. In fact, the project will make use of innovative technology to reach the tar- get of up to 70% of renewable energy use and energy efficient systems. "Is-Siċċa is a project that will not only eliminate a polluting industry site, from the south of Malta, but it is an innovative project that will be meeting the goals of sustainability: a project that will be gen- erating economic activity of quality, with a positive impact on the environment but above all for the surrounding society," Dalli said. Giovanni de Niederhausern, Pininfarina vice-president architecture section, said the three main pillars of the project were the green transition, innovation and ur- ban regeneration. From an economic point of view, Cut- tlefish will offer open spaces for start-ups with various services and resources for entrepreneurs in the field of sustainabil- ity and innovation, incubation centres for green industry and spaces allocated for educational facilities. Seven per cent of the area will be allocat- ed to industry and manufacturing, whilst 50% will be space allocated for recreation- al use and public spaces. "The main focus of this project is to pro- vide a better quality of life for residents. We will be giving back this beach while creating open spaces for cultural and so- cial activities in order to improve mental health and quality of life," Dalli said. Dalli explained how in March 2021, the administrative and regulatory process was initiated with the competent authori- ties to stop the use of the site for the stor- age of heavy fuel oil. She added that discussions were held with the Environment and Resources Au- thority (ERA), on a method statement, so that it was agreed how the tanks would be dismantled in order to prepare the land for this project. "We want this project to be a clear example of how sustainable de- velopment should be done. We want is- Siċċa to be a catalyst, leading by example to drive more sustainable development of this kind," Dalli said. Birzebbuga set for €40 million facelift with San Lucjan regeneration