News • February 29 2004

“I want to buy the Trade Fair” – Ic-Caqnu

Karl Schembri
The man who boasts of having built Malta, leading developer Charles Polidano, known as Ic-Caqnu, is in discussions with the owners of the Trade Fair grounds in Naxxar in a bid to buy the massive area of land there.
“Yes, I’m discussing with the owners, the real owners,” he told MaltaToday, referring to Scicluna Estates, the owners of the land. “I’d like to build some 50-storey tower there although MEPA are such **** they wouldn’t give me a permit. I’m the only one who can build it but they won’t let me.”
In fact the owners have already applied for a permit to construct a 42-storey tower intended for a mixed residential and commercial purposes – by far the highest building to be proposed in Malta so far.
Sources said that despite their application, the present owners were not too comfortable with their proposal, which could overshadow the beautiful Palazzo Parisio and the old Naxxar village core. It is believed the application was made to increase the property value.
The Malta Trade Fairs Corporation, which runs the Malta Trade Fair, is already looking for alternative premises as the rental agreement for the Naxxar grounds comes to an end in three years’ time.
“If I don’t get a permit to build the tower, we can always keep the trade fair there,” Mr Polidano said.
The Trade Fair grounds alone comprise a 44,000 square metre complex housing exhibition halls and a conference venue.