The db Group has decided to halve the size of its controversial mega development in St George’s Bay, saying it was downscaling despite having no legal or planning obligations.
Objectors, however, argue that while the proposed height of the project has been reduced, the project could now include an extra-tower block and would still have a negative impact on the locality.
The db Group has presented new plans to reduce the maximum height of a proposed construction project from 31 storeys to 17.
The €300 million project, as proposed in the latest plans presented on December 6, now consists of two 17-storey towers and a 12-storey hotel. The original project presented just two towers. The so-called City Centre project will see db Group build a hotel, residential units and a shopping mall, among other things, on the site of what used to house the Institute of Tourism Studies.
The project has been the subject of loud objections from residents and lobby groups who say the surrounding area would be eclipsed by the project.
Asked why the project plans had been altered, a spokesman said db Group had heeded the public’s opinion earlier this year.
“The height of the residential tower remained the key sticking point and we, therefore, embarked on a search for the best solution. It turned out to be halving it and building two,” the spokesman said.
He said the size of the proposed hotel had been cut down and the size and number of public spaces had been increased.
“We had no legal, planning or procedural obligation to do any of these changes, but we had no difficulty to adopt them. We did so because they were reasonable and improved the project in every sense. The ‘before and after’ images speak for themselves,” the spokesman concluded.
A trojan horse
Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday Moviment Graffitti, slammed the revised plans, describing them as “a blatant PR stunt” and an attempt to increase the built-up area by stealth.
It said DB’s new plans are, essentially, "a trojan horse".
"What they are really doing is increasing the built-up area by a total of three new residential floors, while at the same time reducing the available open spaces. It is clear that the widespread opposition to this project from residents forced DB back to the drawing board, but in spite of appearances the developers remain intent on further degrading our quality of life.”
Acknowledging that new plans feature reduced heights, Graffitti pointed out that the project’s overall volume, however, remains unchanged. "This will certainly not reduce the large-scale, long-term inconveniences to be suffered by the localities of Pembroke, Swieqi, St Julians, Madliena, and by their residents," it said.
It said the proposed development is completely out of context with the surroundings and would, therefore, nullify the new PA policy on scheduling and contexts, rendering the ITS building’s Schedule 2 status virtually useless.
Graffitti questioned the transparency behind the government’s "gift of a tunnel" leading to the project, without which the project "will not be viable".
This is the second round of changes to the proposed project.
Original plans were downscaled following massive opposition by citizens and local councils to the project.
The original project had its planning permit nullified by a court last year after it emerged that a member of the PA board, involved in the real estate market, had a conflict of interest.