Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/747633
2 YANNICK PACE MIRIAM DALLI THE Planning Authority has ac- cepted 177 new developments for Sliema over the past three weeks, according to Paul Radmilli, a Slie- ma local councillor. These new developments, he said, will be spread over 72 construction sites and will create the need for 184 new parking spaces. "Many of the new apartments do not have proper waste disposal facilities and will lead to a large number of garbage bags being left outside," Radmilli argued. "The MHRA recently complained about the fact that Sliema looks shabby. It's obviously going to look shab- bier, if we keep accepting applica- tions for apartments without en- suring that they have the necessary services." Sliema residents and green NGOs gathered at Dingli Circus yester- day morning to protest the lack of consideration in the issuance of de- velopment permits, most of which turned streets of beautiful charac- ter houses into blocks of flats over- shadowing surviving houses. Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) activist Robert Fenech, re- futed claims that Sliema is a lost cause, adding that people still live in Sliema and there are therefore still many reasons to fight against overdevelopment. Fenech lamented what he referred to as the erosion of safeguards within the Planning Authority, claiming that decisions were being left to a smaller group of people, thus increasing the potential that decisions are taken that are not in the interest of the country and the people. He also called for action to be taken against PA employees who issue permits that are clearly irregular. A number of people who were in attendance explained to MaltaTo- day that they feel that the govern- ment has let them down, arguing that while they are not against de- velopment, and understand that it is important, they feel that it has reached levels that are no longer sustainable. A number said that no matter which party is in govern- ment, they feel that no considera- tion is given to how development affects people and communities. FAA spokeswoman Astrid Vella said that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has agreed to a walkabout in Sliema with the NGO in the near future, however a date has not yet been announced. She said that FAA had spent €12,000 in the past few months to appeal a number of de- cisions, adding that the NGO has had to employ people on a full-time basis in order to keep up with all applications. Sliema local councillor Michael Briguglio said that the council was also dedicating a lot of resources to sifting through planning appli- cations for Sliema, and to appeal decisions. He said that the council was also trying to be proactive by increasing pedestrian and bicycle lanes in the area and urged people to take a stand and apply pressure via social media. "We have a vox pop government and if we make our voices heard, and apply enough pressure we can achieve results," he said. Briguglio added that while there were many good and well inten- tioned people at the Planning Au- thority, changes need to made. "A number of the applications submitted to the PA are irregular. These should be sent back imme- diately and shouldn't even be pub- lished. The PA is not there simply to rubber stamp applications." He said that the Sliema local council will be meeting the Envi- ronment and Resources Agency next Thursday to discuss a list of is- sues on which the council feels that the agency should be taking action. "Expect the government to an- nounce some environmental pro- posal on Friday to show us how much it cares about the environ- ment," he said. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2016 News A protest where residents are saying 'enough is enough': 177 development applications for Sliema accepted in just three weeks – local councillor Paul Radmilli Sliema residents exasperated with town's construction chaos Speakers and supporters: clockwise from left, Nationalist Party councillor Paul Radmilli, Green Party (AD) councillor Michael Briguglio, Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar's Robert Fenech with architect Edward Said of the Sliema Historical Society, Democratic Party leader and MP Marlene Farrugia, and Astrid Vella, FAA coordinator "We have a vox pop government and if we make our voices heard, and apply enough pressure we can achieve results" Michael Briguglio What the Planning Authority means to Sliema residents: just a machine to give out permits for construction with no regard for the town's architecture or effects on residents. PA chairman Johann Buttigieg gets a sarcastic top billing as 'the saint of the environment'