Santa Luċija mega block will hurt resident's quality of life - ADPD

A proposed megablock in Santa Luċija is threatening residents' quality of life and should not go ahead, Malta's green party said on Saturday.

Nearly half of Santa Luċija's adult residents have objected to the development which involves converting a field containing mature olive and citrus trees into a five-storey mega block containing 75 garages, 36 apartments, five maisonettes and seven penthouses. 

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, ADPD leader Carmel Cacopardo questioned the use of government pledges to invest in open spaces when "the little that is left are being slated for development."

"While on the one hand the Ministry for the Environment insists on the need for open spaces, the Planning Authority is repeatedly approving applications for existing open spaces to be developed in an intensive manner as in the case of this project in Santa Luċija," he said.

He also added that in spite of all the criticism from various quarters "the parties in parliament have not had the courage to stand up against this senseless overdevelopment."

ADPD has long been maintaining that the few open spaces remaining within our urban zones should remain as such to offer an essential lung...