Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/811845
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 APRIL 2017 12 News JAMES DEBONO HIGH street shopping in Valletta, Sliema and Hamrun used to dom- inate the Maltese retail sector till the early 1990s, but over the past two decades shopping malls and department stores have sprouted in various localities. Despite the advent of internet shopping, de- mand for new retail space contin- ues unabated. There are at least eight projects whose planning applications are pending, three of which seek land outside building zones (ODZ), and in total adding up a floor area of over 107,000 square metres, an area equivalent to 15 football grounds. And that excludes some 21,000 sq.m yet to be realised at Smart City. All this comes on the back of expansive developments of retail space in Malta: the Pama shop- ping village in Mosta extends over 6,340 sq.m; the Kiabi outlet on the former Burmarrad winery is spread over 1,035 sq.m; and then there is 2,198 sq.m of space on Qormi's Landmark building, near Lidl. Significantly, places like the Kiabi megastore were approved in ODZ areas, although located in existing building, further erod- ing the distinction between urban and rural Malta. It could be the case with the Ghaxaq mega shop- ping complex, proposed instead of a construction plant in a rural area. At a total of 17,000 sq.m, Tigné Point in Sliema is Malta's largest shopping mall but could soon be overtaken by the Hudson Group development in Ghaxaq and a luxury shopping mall on the site of the Institute of Tourism Stud- ies in St George's Bay. When Smart City's impact assessment was presented in 2008, they listed Sliema and Valletta with a total area of 20,000 and 17,000 sq.m of high street shopping, respec- tively. This expansionist commercial strategy seems to have overtaken Malta's high street experience, and surely it's a far cry from the street shops that dominated the 1990s, before the opening of Mal- ta's shopping malls, such as the Sliema's Plaza, Valletta's Embas- sy, Gallerija in Fgura and Main- street in Paola, and Bay Street in Paceville, Daniels in Hamrun, and Gozo's Tigrija Palazz. GHAXAQ: The largest shopping mall ever A huge retail centre is set to take up 30,646 sq.m of retail space constructed over three levels in a 37,880 sq.m site presently occu- pied by the Barbros construction plant next to the Lidl supermarket in Zejtun, in an 'area of contain- ment' where limited development can be allowed outside develop- ment zones. The application was presented by Hudson International Ltd, which already operates 27 outlets in Malta representing interna- tional brands, such as Kiabi, River Island, Timberland, Nike, UJ Hos and Urban Jungle. The application incorporates the existing 2,500 sq.m Lidl supermar- ket on the ground floor, a gigan- tic 12,964 sq.m department store constructed over three levels and an additional 17,682 sq.m of other retail shops. Underground park- ing will cater for 752 cars while 408 parking spaces are allocated at ground floor level. Hudson International already operates the Kiabi department stores in the Landmark in Qormi and in the ex-farmer's winery in Burmarrad. The Burmarrad site could only be used for agricul- tural activities until 2063, as it was public land given to the Farmer's Wine Co-operative in 1965 on emphyteusis to be used for wine production. The cooperative sold the em- phytheusis for €815,000 in 2008 to BCBT Properties, a company in which Burmarrad Commercials is a main shareholder. The condi- tion on its use was lifted after the change in government in 2013. MARSASKALA: Shops to fill a quarry A long disused 9,750 sq.m quarry opposite the Marsaskala Family Park is being proposed for massive commercial development includ- ing retail outlets, a drive-thru take away, offices and restaurants. The development includes a basement carpark, a 3,080 sq.m commercial outlet and 748 sq.m restaurant and a 330 sq.m drive thru at ground floor level, 2,080 sq.m of offices at the first floor level and a landscaped roof. The development, located out- side development zones opposite the family park and the sewage recycling plant, is being proposed by Ephriam Schembri who owns the site. QORMI: DIY Plans have been submitted by a group of developers proposing a Do it Yourself retail complex op- posite the park and ride in Qormi instead of fields. The application presented by Centre Park Holdings Limited proposes two levels of under- ground parking, a DIY centre with ancillary facilities and a receded first floor for retail space and of- fices occupying a floor space of 10,000 sq.m. Archaeological remains includ- ing tombs and cart ruts will be integrated in the commercial de- velopment, all with the blessing of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. The company is owned by An- thony Fenech, Paul and Philip Caruana of Quality Holdings Lim- ited, and Vincent and Charles Borg of V&C Developments Ltd. Ac- cording to present planning rules, all the soil in the area was cleared for an archaeological investigation of the site. The area is zoned for parking, sports facilities and the development of an old people's home according to changes to the local plan made in July 2013, three months after the election. TOWNSQUARE: Shopping under the tower's gaze The 38-storey high-rise in Slie- ma approved by the PA in 2016 is currently pending an appeal. It includes 9,600 sq.m of retail space which would equate to about 40 medium-sized shops similar to those in the area and three larger shopping outlets. The shopping centre is being proposed on an open plaza around Malta goes shopping mad WHAT'S IN STORE? New commercial projects and megastores could add floor areas of over 107,000 square metres to Malta's heaving retail business: twice the area of Sliema's and Valletta's high streets. Is this a new retail bubble? Townsquare Ghaxaq St George's Bay Skyparks