Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1524428
2 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 JULY 2024 2 KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Mosta centre should be community- friendly, Cassola says MOSTA'S main square should be given back to residents, Ar- nold Cassola said, adding that town centres should serve the community's well-being. The former MEP independent candidate said town squares should not act as transit points for vehicles. "The Mosta Council must ensure that while the centre is as community-friendly as pos- sible, other peripheral roads are free and unencumbered for cars to pass, especially for public transport to operate ef- ficiently," Cassola said, noting that commuting around Mos- ta has become a nightmare for residents because of never end- ing road works. He said the Mosta Council should incentivise the use of the pjazza by organising activ- ities for all ages on the week- ends. "The council must en- courage residents to enjoy this vibrant open space," he said. Cassola was reacting to the latest development that sees the newly-installed National- ist-majority council wanting to reverse the part-pedestrianisa- tion of the main square. The previous Labour-led council had closed off the main square to traffic between Sat- urday 6:30pm and Sunday mid- night. However, the new coun- cil now wants to lift this partial traffic ban with Mayor Joseph Gatt telling MaltaToday a pub- lic consultation exercise will be carried out in October to de- termine the way forward. Gatt had said that with ongo- ing roadworks in several streets in and around Mosta, the clo- sure of the square was causing more problems. A motion to lift the traffic ban is expected to be discussed this evening. The motion also calls for the removal of a 24-hour traffic ban for a whole week in the lead up to the locality's festa in August. The council wants the main square to be closed off only when festa ac- tivities are taking place. Arnold Cassola roots for Mosta square pedestrianisation but says peripheral roads must be unencumbered for cars to pass through Arnold Cassola believes the Mosta council should create activities to encourage residents to use the main square for leisure purposes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The local plan designates the area as a zone earmarked for sports and recrea- tional activities. QSI wants to construct a new school consisting of three five storey blocks. In a representation signed by Mayor Stefan Cordina the council contends that by law, zoning applications can on- ly envisage "minor" changes to the local plan. They cannot be used to change the height limitation in the area from zero to five floors or change land use estab- lished in a specific policy included in the local plan. The council also pointed out that the local plan is very clear that the site should be used exclusively for public recreational, and sports uses and not for private use. While noting that the development will exacerbate infrastructural pres- sures in an area already suffering from over development, the council's major concern is that land earmarked for a public use benefitting the community would be "sacrificed for the enjoyment of a few." The council also fears that this would set a "dire precedent" leading to the "further decimation of open spaces available to the public." The council warned that if this ar- ea is developed it would be impossible to create new sports and recreational zones in the locality. The council also referred to a permit issued in 2000 by the Planning Authori- ty which foresaw construction of a pub- lic sports complex that was to form part of the neighbouring public school. The parcel of land was subsequently expropriated only to be released back to the former owners in 2012, a spokesper- son for the Lands Authority told Malta- Today last month. Only a small portion of land is still in- dicated as government property and its status is currently being verified. QSI, which already runs its school on the Durumblat Road on the outskirts of Attard and Mosta near Ta' Qali, is not the owner of the Attard land, but claims to have informed the site owners of its intention to apply for a future planning permit. Attard Council insists public interest should prevail over that of the 'few' QSI, which wants to develop a school on a large plot of land next to the existing government primary school