Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1511791
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 NOVEMBER 2023 NEWS JAMES DEBONO GOZO magnate Joseph Portelli's PRA Construction is planning a 196-apartment complex on a warehouse area in Msida located between Trejqa ta' Boxbox and Triq it-Torri, just uphill from Valley Road. With a gross floor area of some 34,000 square metres, the two eight-storey blocks will also have retail shops and an underground parking for 250 cars. The warehouses activities within the site, covering over 4,000sq.m, currently include the storage of pharmaceutical prod- ucts, distribution and adminis- trative activities. The development is being pro- posed by PRA Construction Ltd, a company partly owned by Portelli. His other company Ex- cel Investments, co-owned by Ta' Dirjanu supermarket owner Mark Agius, has already submit- ted an application to demolish the warehouses and excavate the site. The planning application pro- posing a replacement has been under wraps for the past four months and made public by the Environment and Resources Au- thority which is screening the ap- plication. The developers' consultants ADI have acknowledged that due to the substantial increase in elevation within the site, "the Scheme will have a notably pro- nounced visual impact in terms of height." Flood hazard plan Since the development is lo- cated within a flood hazard area and close to the Msida Valley, ADI has recommended several mitigation measures to address this risk, including the erection of flood barriers, raised foundations, water diversion systems, proper drainage systems, and the use of flood-resistant building materials in the design and construction plan. It also suggests a "compre- hensive emergency response plan that includes evacuation proce- dures and prioritises the safety of residents during flood events." These measures are still being discussed with the engineers of the project to determine their "feasibility". The development will be taking place in the immediate vicinity of eight listed dwellings along Triq Il-Torri, which are protected due to their architectural value. The site is also 75m away from an irrigaton reservoir on Valley Road, which is designated as a Tree Protection Area. An appli- cation presented two years ago proposed to transform the reser- voir into a football pitch, remains pending. The Portelli project is not ex- pected to have an adverse impact on air quality, since the addition- al number of daily car trips is only expected to increase by 208. But the project statement claims that the project is driven "by the pressing need for quality housing... equipped with essen- tial amenities" and which foster "a holistic and fulfilling lifestyle". Moreover by "emphasizing pe- destrian-friendly spaces, the pro- ject envisions the integration of neighbours and the cultivation of a strong sense of community." Portelli bid for 200-unit Msida block has flood evacuation plan Eight-storey block on Msida warehouse land beneath Regional Road suggests evacuation plan for f lood hazard area