Demolition starts at <i>Tal-Balzunetta</i> in Floriana

The demolition of a group of dilapidated buildings in Floriana finally began yesterday, making way for a social project to create 33 new Housing Authority apartments.

The one, two, and three-bedroomed apartments in Lion Street are expected to be completed in two years' time at a cost of Lm735,000.

Half the apartments are expected to be sold, while the rest will be rented out, Housing Authority chairman Marisa Micallef Leyson said during an on-site news conference.

Ms Micallef Leyson said 79 Floriana residents were on the Social Accommodation Department's waiting list, 26 of whom were over 60.

Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the Floriana project was one of the biggest of its kind.

He explained that the project had been delayed until alternative accommodation was found for the families and commercial entities in the area.

Such a project, the minister stressed, showed the ever increasing social awareness of the ministry, which was trying to create more and more affordable housing.

Together with Valletta, Marsa and the Cottonera area, Floriana was a locality which was desperately crying out for social housing.

Floriana was also one of the areas where lifts were being installed in order to provide better mobility for the elderly and persons with disability. The total cost of the lift project will rise to over Lm203,000.

Floriana mayor Nigel Holland said the beginning of the project was a dream come true for the local council.

The area, known as Tal-Balzunetta, was in dire need of maintenance, but it was essential that neglected buildings were replaced with social housing rather than offices, he said.