Application 'goes beyond government brief'

While the underground car park being proposed for Qui-Si-Sana has become a caldron of controversy for residents in that area, so far there has been complete silence on the proposed underground car park at Ghar id-Dud in Sliema.

The bids for the two car parks have been awarded to the same developer, C&F Building Contractors.

Joe Preca, managing director of the Preluna Hotel and Spa, had applied for the construction of an underground car park at Ghar id-Dud on behalf of Preluna Ltd. Here he talks to George Cini about the urgent need for such a car park, whoever builds it, while arguing that the current planning application should be dismissed because it goes beyond the remit of the development brief issued by the government.

How long has this car park debate been going on?
In 1998 we applied to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to construct a car park under the promenade at Ghar id-Dud. Our application was for one storey, only to avoid complications with the rock formations and caves underneath and also to avoid reaching sea level. The construction of two storeys was not considered feasible for these reasons. Going deeper than one storey would entail making sure that the sea would not find its way into the car park.

Additionally, there are natural caves - Ghar id-Dud and Ghar il-Lembi - in the natural sea wall.

We submitted a development application to Mepa and they discussed with us various details including a traffic impact statement and, in particular, the way cars would enter and exit the park.

After various meetings and studies we reached the point where Mepa confirmed to us in writing that they were considering the application favourably. Later they informed us that since this was public land, our company should withdraw the application to make way for a public call for tenders.

Eventually three calls were issued, in 2002: for a car park at Qui-Si-Sana; a car park at Ghar id-Dud and the regeneration of the Chalet. The proviso was that preference would be given to bidders who went for both the car park at Ghar id-Dud and the Chalet project.

We were not very interested in the Chalet project because we consider it very difficult to make viable. However, we submitted a bid for it anyway because we strongly believe that the car park is a necessity which our area cannot do without. There is an urgent need for a car park which would help to put a semblance of order to traffic in this zone, where it is impossible to park at any time of day.

On the other hand, the promenade will continue to look shabby as long as cars are there. The Sliema promenade has been embellished up to a point near Il-Fortizza. The government's argument has been all along that the revamp of Ghar id-Dud would have to wait first for the building of the Chalet and then the car park.

But once a tender has been awarded for the car park at Ghar id-Dud, why are you so doubtful it will materialise?
While the development brief speaks of a car park accommodating between 150 and 180 cars, the application to Mepa is for 280 cars on two storeys, which means going down to sea level which, in turn, means that any natural formations under the promenade will be destroyed.

Does Mepa accept the fact that the natural caves will be destroyed with the building of a two-storey car park? Surely not.

What are you suggesting then?
We maintain that since the application does not honour the conditions of the brief, then Mepa should not even consider it.

In an interview on the Qui-Si-Sana car park with The Times recently, Environment Minister George Pullicino repeatedly emphasised that if the application submitted by the successful contractor does not fit the brief, then it should not be considered and the project will be passed on to the second bidder. This has not been the case with the Ghar-id-Dud car park because the application is now three years old and is still being considered.

Are you the second bidder, by any chance?
No, we are not. The important thing for us is that there will be a car park at Ghar id-Dud but with the passage of time the chances of having such a car park are fading.

When we tendered to build a car park taking 150-180 vehicles, the details corresponded to that number of cars. Therefore it follows that to tender for a car park housing 250 to 280 cars is beyond the remit of the brief.

The unsuccessful bidders would have come up with a higher bid price had they known that another 100 cars would be accommodated in the car park.

Are you suggesting that no car park will be built at Ghar id-Dud after all?
When a government issues a call for tenders, it is taken to mean that there is a certain degree of urgency and importance and that the project should be undertaken with the minimum of delay. Three years have gone by and nothing has materialised so far.

If entrepreneurs do submit tenders, the least one expects is that they would be treated seriously and fairly without causing the unnecessary waste of time and money that has taken place in this case up to now.

To make matters worse, the long-awaited embellishment of this part of the promenade will linger on forever. During the 36 years the Preluna Hotel has been operating, we have never seen any proper refurbishment of this area although it is potentially the best part of the most beautiful promenade on the island.

Has your company taken any action regarding this matter?
Our company has legally notified the Lands Department and Mepa to refrain from considering the present application for the development of a car park and allow the bidder with the second best to offer the possibility of constructing the car park according to the actual development brief.