Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/550022
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 AUGUST 2015 21 Charles Xuereb Towering heights saga in Qui Si Sana and Tigné T he absence of any reassuring reaction by the powers that be to the Sliema towering saga, as it threatens life as we know it in the Qui Si Sana-Tigné peninsula, seems to be destined to a loss of a moral space in a sea of plural voices. It may turn out to what M. Christine Boyer, lecturer in architecture, describes as a public sphere 'dominated by private voices selling fictional styles of life and imaginary behaviours'. Shamed heritage The twin towers proposal of two (38- and 40-storey) skyscrapers by two Maltese magnate groups whose capital was accrued over decades of successful patronisation by the Island's consumers – is it the best legacy these business gurus could leave to their nation? – seems to be provoking condemnation from many sensible quarters, not least from residents of one-way streets crowding a narrow neck of land. In modern times, to their credit, the people of Sliema managed to turn this fortress and garrison stretch of terrain into a popular tourist resort, combining a sought- after comfortable precinct with scores of hotels and hundreds of outlets, attracting a sizeable part of all tourists who visit Malta. More than this it has also created a strong competitive commercial zone with thousands of residences making up a generous percentage of its regular patrons. All this in spite of an uglification building exercise going back tens of years by pseudo architects who shamed their profession by letting down a centuries-old heritage of fine architectural jewels – evidence Valletta – since Girolamo Cassar. Ghost prime harbour land Now, when most people believed the developer-monster was taking a nap, an aggressive media campaign seems to be mounting by over- ambitious property owners and more of the mercenary architecture class to de-populate Sliema from its rightful owner-residents and turn this top tourist attraction into the island's Shanghai, a financial hub that will one day, also like Shanghai today, wreck its own property capital. I believe that at this juncture the government, MEPA and its sister environment authority-in-the- making, together with MTA and land grabbers should come clean and declare that they have given up on the challenge of Smart City – dead as it is today though next to Qui Si Sana by sea – and decreed to ruin Sliema forever. The proposed twin towers could just be the tip of what is in store for other neighbourhoods such as High Street around Stella Maris Church, Dingli Street, Savoy Hill, Balluta and Spinola Bay. If Sliema is rising ever higher why not change its name from Sliema (meaning peace) to The City in tribute to its long colonial links with the City of London? In the very recent past many Maltese citizens were given to understand that Smart City was going to be Malta's mini-Dubai. Well, visitors to that seaside area would easily attest today that it is now a ghost portion of prime land at the entrance of the harbour that could welcome thousands of visitors with proper future vision. Pasquestion movement Many organisations, including the residents' association, NGOs, Sliema council and Alternattiva Demokratika showed concern. It is high time to start a Sliema/St Julians combined effort to show that high rises in residential-cum- tourist resorts risk destroying what has been wisely built by generations who invested in their future. European citizens attest to fight changes to the environment they bought their property in – a property in a residential area is different from one in a financial hub. Recently in Brussels, when residents complained about overhead flying of planes on a stretch of residential region, an effective campaign included visual impacting protestations with the new movement pasquestion.be (no way = issa daqshekk!) which residents displayed on T-shirts, posters, hung on balconies and windows. This new movement seems to have pulverised Belgium to a nation-wide movement denouncing abusers through Facebook and street marches. Veiled threat from developer It came as a most unpleasant surprise to hear a certain architect of the proposed 38-storey rise veiling a threat with building 26 units if proprietors are not allowed to build their skyscraper in the middle of homes. Am I interpreting this arrogant approach wrongly? Does this professional know beforehand that permits would be issued anyhow? Is choking residents with more pollution already a done deal? This is where the government should use its muscle not only to divert development to new areas (like the already-declared South or beyond Pembroke towards White Rocks) but to expropriate city land which owners do not develop to the benefit of the community. The Union Club/Villa Drago contained space between four streets would make more sense if it offered some smart tourist area not unlike Covent Garden, where small artisanal venues and coffee shops would offer a green space in an otherwise suffocating district. For the number of its crowded streets, gardens in Sliema are not that visible. Owners could then be offered more space in other areas as mentioned above. Unfortunately a business friendly attitude by the present efficient administration is turning out to usher in a laissez- faire atmosphere where might is right. Finally, one should also be conscious of air space ownership. Most blocks of apartments in the Sliema/St Julians area would certainly be tempted to explore and exploit their capital if the rises- mania catches on enough that every street, lane and corner of Sliema could be turned into the Shanghai conundrum that we seem to be approaching on the fast lane. Dr Charles Xuereb is a historicist