Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1493799
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 1 MARCH 2023 NEWS NEWS MARIANNA CALLEJA A "new green lung" in the centre of San Ġwann has been unan- imously approved by the local council, San Ġwann Mayor Tre- vor Fenech said, "The local council is looking forward to working with Project Green in its implementation," said Fenech during a consulta- tion meeting on Thursday with the government authority re- sponsible for open spaces, before finalising designs for the neces- sary permitting processes. The project will be connecting the two busy sides of San Ġwann with safer, car-free pedestrian connections, where it is esti- mated that 90% of residents will have access to an open space less than a 10 minute-walk from their homes "This investment will be giving back to residents an open space in the heart of the communi- ty instead of a main road filled with cars and pollution," Project Green CEO Steve Ellul said. This was the second consul- tation initiative on the project this month, following an earlier meeting with commercial enti- ties operating in the same area. The Vjal ir-Rihan area currently includes an open space of 2,183 square metres. Through the pro- posed new green open space, this will increase it to 7,200 square metres. The open space is also being adapted to the social and cultur- al requirements of the residents, with several features such as a sensory garden, an aquatic gar- den, an amphitheatre, and a sus- tainable playground. During the consultation meet- ing, the residents presented dif- ferent ideas, as the Project Green team answered their questions on the proposals and the eventual works required to create the new open space. San Gwann 'green lung' gets council go- ahead to replace one of Malta's busiest roads The project will be connecting the two busy sides of San Ġwann, currently separated by Vjal ir- Rihan, with safer, car-free pedestrian connections, Project Green promises NICOLE MEILAK CF Developers, a company owned by Joseph Portelli, signed a promise of sale to acquire 1,600sqm of land overlooking a Mosta valley for €4.8 million last month, according to an announcement by the company last month. This was first flagged by former minister Evarist Bartolo in a Face- book post uploaded on Tuesday morning, where he said that Portelli is set to acquire a piece of land near Wied ta' l-Isperanza that is current- ly home to an illegal garage com- plex. "A few weeks ago the land was bought, through a promise of sale, from a company behind which there is Joseph Portelli and other hidden people," Bartolo claimed. The former minister said that the seller himself said that Portelli bought it, "because only he has the power to do anything with the Plan- ning Authority". "The price is €4.7 million, so im- agine what sort of project we could expect near the valley." CF Estates Finance already said in a public announcement last month that it is acquiring a 1,600sqm com- plex subject to permits issued by the Planning Authority. The company reached the agree- ment, which covers property in Mosta and Qawra, with the Sant family and Marvin Holiday Com- plex Ltd respectively. The 10% deposit on the Mosta land was already paid on 13 January, and the promise of sale agreement is valud until 13 July 2024. Joseph Portelli is the majority shareholder of CF Estates Ltd and owns 30% of the company. Francis Agius, Clifton Cassar, Duncan Mi- callef, and Stephen Falzon each hold 17.5% of the shares. CF Developers is a subsidiary of CF Estates Ltd. Joseph Portelli set to buy €4.8 million land in ODZ area overlooking Mosta valley Former minister Evarist Bartolo first flagged concerns on how a Portelli-backed company has signed a promise of sale for land overlooking Wied ta' l-Isperanza