Progress of works on Cottonera project explained

Infrastructure Minister Francis Zammit Dimech listed works done so far on the Cottonera project when he replied to a parliamentary question yesterday.

He said that the Cottonera Waterfront Group had demolished the Cooperage Stores near the menqa, demolished the bridge to Fort St Angelo and cleaned up Caraffa Stores, parts of the old prisons, Seagate vaults and the stores beneath Fort St Angelo. Work had almost been completed on an apartment block and five commercial establishments at Vittoriosa.

MEPA issued the permit for a yacht marina on October 11 and work on the marina was expected to start early next year. It would be divided into three phases.

The minister said Port Cottonera Consortium had restored Scamps Place and turned it into a casino. It had cleared the site near the palace for the building of a hotel. Two palaces between the casino and Caraffa Stores would be restored.

Port Cottonera was also obliged to restore the former Treasury building, the cement stores and the Macina.

Dr Zammit Dimech said the government had removed what were known as the Chinese building near Fort St Angelo and provided the Chinese community with alternative accommodation. Repair work on the quays alongside Fort St Angelo would start shortly.

The government had also improved the infrastructure of the area including an improvement of the power, sewage and water systems.

The government had also demolished the wall between Dock 1 and St Theresa Street and Gavino Gulia Square. Embellishment works had also been carried out.