Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/542972
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 JULY 2015 News 11 '4,000 extra cars won't aggravate traffic problems', Townsquare developers claim ENVIRONMENT Impact Stud- ies commissioned by the develop- ers of the Townsquare project in Tigné, Sliema estimate that the project will increase daily traffic peak flows in the Qui-Si-Sana area from the present 24,444 to 28,874 vehicles. Yet the developers of the ambi- tious 38-storey tower – just metres away from a 40-storey tower hotel being proposed by Gap Develop- ments – insist that an additional 4,430 vehicles will not aggravate problems because the project will also include a car park catering for 800 cars. So will not the car park itself, coupled with the new retail areas, attract even more cars to the area? For developer Michael Soler, a director of the Gasan Group, the creation of more car park spaces means that cars will not have to move around Sliema until they find where to park. That means eliminating the creation of on street congestion, he says. "The car park will ensure a better traffic flow," he reasons. Architect Martin Xuereb insists that traffic problems are not relat- ed to high-rise buildings. "This is a very big misconception because developing the site traditionally will have exactly the same impact on traffic as developing the site vertically." Soler insists that according to the local plan the developers can develop the 12,000 square metres of land in the area into 26 blocks with an average height of seven to eight storeys. "The only difference is that by using the floor area ratio we will keep half of the site as an open public space." Another advantage of a high-rise, Soler says is that services such as garbage collection can be central- ised. He even dismisses concerns that Sliema cannot take this massive increase in traffic irrespective of whether development is high-rise or not. Soler points out that the traffic impact studies have shown that all junctions can cope with the in- crease in traffic except for the one at the Pjazzetta, which is already earmarked for a new junction by 2017. "The major problem in Sliema is one of traffic management, not one of too many cars, and the ma- jor bottleneck is at the ferries," he says. Xuereb also says out that parking access for visitors will be through the main roads and not through residential ones. On the other hand, access to the car park for residents of the apartments will be through Hughes Hallet Street. He insists that the latest air qual- ity studies, based on the assump- tion that by 2017 the average age of Maltese vehicles will be down from the current 14 years to 10 years, showed that emissions will remain within EU parameters. The new project will consist of 163 new apartments, 130 of which will be located in the 38-storey tow- er. It will also include 4,700 square metres of office space and 8,250 square metres of retail. Asked what sense it made to build more apartments when 32% of dwellings are vacant, Soler in- sisted that there is no over-supply of properties when it comes to the top end of the property market. He refers to the fact that proper- ties at Portomaso and Tigne are immediately sold as evidence that a market exists for properties with the right design and location. "Properties remain vacant mostly because these are not located in the right location or have a poor design. We have both a good loca- tion and a good design." As regards shading, the architect acknowledges that the tower will cast a shadow on the roofs of some residences. But he insists that this will consist of a pencil shadow which will not be continuous but will move as the sun crosses the sky. Xuereb denied claims in the EIA that the project will in- crease the shadow- ing on the public open spaces along the Qui-Si-Sana seafront. Accord- ing to the EIA the scheme also impacts additional areas of the rocky foreshore at noon in- sofar as there will "no longer be patches of sunshine". Xuereb cited the results of stud- ies showing that the major impact on the coastline will be felt in De- cember when the tower's shadow will extend to the sea. But in June the tower will only impact the coastline between 5 and 6pm. Asked about the massive incon- venience caused to residents dur- ing the months of excavations and construction, Soler replied that the same inconvenience would take place if they developed the site horizontally. He also pointed out that the ad- vantage of developing a tower will be that a tower is only built once and permanently while low rise developments may take place more sporadically. "The site will be developed at one go in contrast to other develop- ments in Sliema which see apart- ment blocks being redeveloped after a few years." He also insists that the devel- opers will not be building more apartments by building upwards instead of sideways. "Had we applied for a traditional development we would have de- veloped around 180 apartments in 26 blocks, [but] through high-rise we will develop a bit less." Architect Xuereb also explained the changes in the project over the past years by pointing out that when the project consisted of 23 floors another 15-storey tower was also proposed. The 15-storey tow- er has now been reduced to five storeys. The latest change saw the height of the main tower increase from 34 storeys to 38. "We did this because the MEPA asked us to reduce the bulk of the tower at the bottom." They also consider the new retail development in the open spaces around the tower as a continuation of high street shopping in Bisazza Street and Tower Road. "We did not want to create a new shopping mall. We will be creating a pedestrianised space where peo- ple can continue their shopping experience while walking along Sliema's streets," says Xuereb. Soler also dismisses claims that high rise in Tigne could affect Valletta's world heritage status. He backs this by referring to a UNESCO statement that based on the official maps of the World Heritage site, the army base near the Excelsior hotel did not fall within the boundaries of Valletta or its immediate vicinity. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt JAMES DEBONO quizzes developer Michael Soler and architect Martin Xuereb on the 38-storey tower proposed in the heart of Sliema Architect Martin Xuereb Architect's' rendition of the 38-storey development in Sliema 'High-rise allows us to develop a bit less... otherwise we would have built 180 apartments in 26 blocks'