Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1512265
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 NOVEMBER 2023 NEWS NEWS THE Msida local council is ob- jecting to residential develop- ment on an 18,767sq.m site in Swatar between Valley Road, behind the Charles Grech out- let, and Triq Indri Grima above. The site is presently character- ised by thick rubble walls and disused agricultural and natural land. The site was added to devel- opment boundaries in the in- famous 2006 extension despite concern that the development would aggravate flooding prob- lems in the area. But the Msida council con- tends the area is one of the few green spaces left in this area. It has also pointed out that Amb- jent Malta has identified an ad- jacent site for afforestation. "Instead of more residential development it makes more sense to devise a plan to sustain the environment through more trees and the restoration of rub- ble walls, in a way that the area is conserved for future genera- tions." This land was included in the extended building zones on condition that residential devel- opment consisting of "low den- sity detached buildings" will be limited to 50% of the whole site and that water reservoirs are constructed to buffer rainwa- ter runoff originating at higher ground levels. The latest plans presented a month ago foresee residential development split in 13 different five storey blocks on a footprint of 7,129sq.m. A further 2,252sq.m will consist of internal pavements and roads. It also foresees a pub- lic open space of 5,122sq.m and private open space of 4,265sq.m which together would occupy 50% of the site. To address flooding concerns due to the take up of a val- ley side in a notoriously flood prone area, the developers have proposed reservoirs beneath each residential block with a storage capacity of 7,400 cubic meters to be used either as sec- ond-class water or to irrigate the green spaces. According to the developer the landscaped area will have a minimum 20cm of soil which would absorb rainfall. Overflow from reservoirs will be direct- ed to Valley Road by means of ducted pipes. Msida council objects to flats on farmland overlooking Valley Road JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt