Valletta regeneration

I refer to the articles carried recently following a seminar organised by the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee focusing on Valletta's regeneration.

Along the years, the changing social, economic and physical and infrastructural environment in Valletta has resulted in urban decay. The capital city has a number of vacant, derelict or under-utilised sites and premises with a range of factors that inhibit their regeneration.

Valletta experiences a unique mix of commercial and housing opportunities within a very small area. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority understands the pressures posed by the competing and complex range of users and, in its preparation and adoption of the Grand Harbour local plan (2002), makes a genuine change in approach to regeneration in the city by linking the themes of urban renewal with commercial investment and greater liveability.

The local plan is a key link in the renewal chain. It identifies local problems and suggests solutions. It recognises that one can only genuinely turn around areas that have been starved of adequate investment by mobilising mainstream public sector resources, active involvement of the private sector and the local community.

During the seminar, the general mood was a dull one with speakers maintaining that the capital city is "dead" and no investment of any kind or regeneration initiatives are being put forward.

From Mepa's experience, the picture is slightly different. Over the past four years, Mepa received more than 300 planning applications of a commercial nature, about 170 from central government/local council and over 200 applications for alterations/additions to residential units. The numbers themselves reveal a silent regeneration revolution. Testament to this are the regular features on local magazines showing renovated and stylish apartments in Valletta. The strong sense of identity, pride and determination of people relocating to the city is contagious. Rather than grand schemes, which never see the light of day, life is being breathed into the city through such small scale, sensitive developments.

Another success story were the wooden balconies schemes where Mepa, in collaboration with the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee, awarded over Lm50,000 to about 100 applicants.

On a concluding note, the significant and timely decision to take proactive steps towards the elimination of air conditioning units from the façades and particularly the ongoing engagement with the GRTU on the subject augur well for other collaborative initiatives between the various government departments and other NGOs.