Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/712521
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 7 AUGUST 2016 13 News A mere one parking slot for every 50 square metres of Mriehel office space THE approved four high-rise tow- ers in Mriehel will include 27,922 square metres of office space, but the Planning Authority claims that such a vast amount of office space will only require 558 parking spac- es. The whole project, which also includes catering establishments, a supermarket and a gym, will in- clude 1,065 parking spaces set on four basement levels of parking. The PA's calculation is based on a standard calculation of one parking space for every 50 square metres of office space – a standard calculation which is considered unrealistic, as it is normal to have three or four people working in this amount of office space. Based on other standard formulas the 885-square metre supermarket that will be built at Mriehel, would only require 26 parking spaces, the gym and day car centre would re- quire 109 parking spaces and the catering establishments 214. According to PA studies, the four towers would therefore require only 1,032 parking spaces, which is fewer than the 1,065 provided. But Transport Malta studies have suggested that the project would require 1,563 parking spaces, re- sulting in a shortfall of 500. In fact, the shortfall could be far greater, because the developers have declared that the project will create 2,635 jobs. And further seri- ously compounding the situation is that the area where the towers will be built is presently used as an informal carpark by employees of other companies. This week's public hearing saw developers justifying the short- age in parking spaces as an incen- tive for workers to use alternative transport, something that would give two extra points in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Envi- ronmental Design) certification. Architect Ray Demicoli spoke of measures which would encourage people to car-pool to work, such as making bicycle stands available. He said that apart from providing space-to-station bicycles, a num- ber of showers would be provided within the towers in order to en- courage people to cycle to work. As part of this commitment the development includes the provi- sion of 105 bicycle racks and 54 preferential parking spaces will be allocated for car sharing initiatives. However the Transport Im- pact Assessment (TIA) notes that "these measures alone are unlikely to result in a significant modal shift". Therefore an improve- ment in public transport services is deemed to be essential. The de- veloper is being expected to take a commitment to organize collective transport for employees for a pe- riod of five years. During the meeting the develop- ers excluded developing an extra basement as this could undermine the buildings's seismic stability. But they have hinted that an extra 100 spaces could be created in the approved parking space. A holistic transport plan is being prepared by the Mriehel Founda- tion, which includes Transport Malta, the Planning Authority and individual businesses. But the Mriehel project was approved be- fore the approval of such a plan. hares, hunting with the hounds… alist locality which has however had a fair share of floaters and switchers. Moreover the 38-storey Town- square tower rising above Ghar id-Dud views has a more symbol- ic impact than four smaller tow- ers in an industrial area. The vote itself, seven for and six against, reflects a degree of hesitance, with Planning Authority chair- man Vince Cassar and deputy chairperson Elisabeth Ellul vot- ing against the project, deeming it excessive and not in line with policy. Yet the vote of the govern- ment's own representative on the board, Labour MP Joe Sammut, in favour of the project, coupled with the stance and con- stant reminders from executive chairman Jo- hann Buttigieg that the project "is in line with policy" clearly indicate that the project had the government's backing. For those attending the meeting, Buttigieg's intervention immedi- ately after the chair- man's declaration that he would vote against had all the attributes of a whip enforcing the official party line. Still, the dissent of the PA chairman – which I believe was genuine and reflects the integ- rity of a veteran public servant – sends the message that the decision was a half-hearted one. This weakens the impres- sion that the decision was con- cocted by Castille and makes it look as a decision taken by rela- tively unknown board members. In all this Muscat and his party have kept aloof simply because they have not been politically en- gaged by the Opposition. The PN hamstrung One cannot reproach the Op- position's representative on the PA board for inconsistency. MP Ryan Callus, whose integrity is beyond question, spoke strongly against the "illegal and political decision" to include Mriehel in the high-rise zone. He was less vociferous on the Sliema project but still voted against – agreeing with Vince Cassar that the project was exces- sive. In contrast, Labour MP Joe Sammut, who contributed noth- ing to the discussion, gave the Sliema project a vital vote, with the project being approved by the paper-thin majority of 7 against 6 votes. Much more vociferous than Callus were Sliema PN council- lors Paul Radmilli and Pierre Portelli, who presented a united front with Green Party council- lor Michael Briguglio against the project. Absent completely were Labour's councillors. But the Sliema council's vocifer- ous opposition was not reflected in public statements by Opposi- tion leader Simon Busuttil who has been hesitant on taking up the high-rise issue. Officially the PN has issued statements on the Mriehel high-rise, where it did not stand to make any politi- cal capital, but it left the PN-led council to fight on its own with regard to the Sliema Townsquare high-rise, where the party stood to gain from popular opposition. Neither has the PN supported Marlene Farrugia's insistence on a moratorium on high-rise until a national master plan is formu- lated. The reason for the party's hesi- tation on the Sliema project could be the immediate concern of not alienating the Gasan family and business group – which although linked to the present adminis- tration by the power plant gas project is not, unlike the Tumas Group, identified with the party now in government. But the major reason is that Busuttil is well aware that up to a few years ago, it was the same PN which was perceived as the developers' party. It was only on the eve of the 2008 election that the PN started heeding the green vote. The resulting one-seat ma- jority it narrowly clinched how- ever undermined the party's abil- ity to push any project that could face popular opposition. This political inertia allowed a pro-business Labour Party to move deep into Nationalist ter- ritory, delivering tailor-made policies for developers as soon as elected to government. And with his party financially bank- rupt, Busuttil may be wary of an- tagonising developers who could hand the PN a lifeline, while hop- ing that dissatisfaction with the present government's environ- mental policies will still benefit his party at the next election. But the question remains as to why Busuttil did not stick his neck out for loyal Tenth District voters fuming at Townsquare's 38 storeys, and instead talk ab- stractedly about the Freeport's expansion – a locality run by a Labour-led council and which has suffered from noise pollution from this enterprise for the past decades. As the Labour government stands to gain from the Opposi- tion's unwillingness to politicise the high-rise issue, Busuttil finds himself racing with the hares and hunting with the hounds. But in this race he cannot compete with Muscat, now clearly identifying his party with the developers' lobby. Busuttil may well at least appeal to that sector of the population which feels betrayed by Muscat's sell-out to developers. Callus's vote at the PA meeting may have sent a negative message to the developers, but Busuttil's caution has also attracted criticism from residents. Had the PN mobilised oppo- sition to the Sliema project, it would have become more diffi- cult for Muscat to stay out of the fray. Busuttil could have forced Muscat to show his hand, instead of allowing him to hide behind technical decisions, and instead expose him to be part of the same establishment he loves to scorn. Busuttil is simply making Mus- cat's life easier. Witnesses could see the PA CEO's intervention immediately after the chairman's declaration that he would vote against Townsquare, having all the attributes of a whip enforcing the official party line The dissent of the PA chairman – which I believe was genuine and reflects the integrity of a veteran public servant – sends the message that the decision was a half-hearted one Mark Gasan, one of the Gasan family's scions (left): The PN's hesitation on the Sliema project could be the immediate concern of not alienating the Gasan family and business group