The proposed Paceville master plan must "go back to the drawing board" and address major concerns flagged by residents and NGOs, the Opposition said this morning.
Addressing a news conference at the Nationalist Party headquarters, Opposition environment spokeswoman Marthese Portelli highlighted the eight main points which she said should have been given more weight.
“Any plan must be based on the carrying capacity of Paceville and nearby localities,” she insisted.
She noted that the proposed master plan would lead to a number houses being demolished to make way for new roads and open spaces. Affected residents needed to be better safeguarded, she said.
Dr Portelli also questioned the need to relocate a number of businesses which had spent a fortune to modernise their premises.
Moreover, the PN insisted that 500,000 square metre increase in Paceville's ground floor area should be distributed in a fair manner and not to the benefit of a few.
“There must be a level playing field for everyone,” Dr Portelli remarked.
The Opposition is also objecting to a land reclamation proposal, saying this would have negative environmental impacts. Furthermore, it is insisting that public access to the foreshore must remain open.
Dr Portelli also insisted that the master plan must ensure that infrastructure can cope with heavy demand on transport, waste management and sewerage networks. Affected councils must also be given resources to cater for the increase in traffic which this development would generate, she added.
On his part, PN MP Ryan Callus said that the Opposition would be raising concerns about potential conflict of interests involving the consultancy firm commissioned to draft this master plan in Parliament.
Mr Callus was referring to a story published today by Times of Malta, which revealed that international firm Mott MacDonald had also worked on one of the largest proposed private developments in Paceville.
READ: PA Paceville consultants work for mega-developer
“Now we know why such a question was not answered by planning authority CEO Johan Buttigieg during a previous Environment and Development Committee meeting,” Mr Callus said.
He added that the Opposition had requested such assurance in writing, and would be once again raising the issue during today’s committee meeting, when Mott MacDonald representatives will be present.
Mr Callus added that apart from the case flagged today, another potential conflict of interest was already raised by Malta Today.