The Midi development in Tigné is “too intensive.” This frank decleration was made by none other than Environment Minister George Pullicino in a letter he sent to Sliema residents this week.
“I have often heard the comment that the development on the Tigné peninsula particularly the Midi development is too intensive. I am not in disagreement with this view,” wrote Pullicino.
According to the Minister “higher densities for the Tigné development were considered necessary so that the restoration of Fort Manoel could be financed by the developer.”
Pullicino also claims that back in 1994 he was “the only one” to make the case for the inclusion of Tigné within the urban conservation area – a step which would have precluded much of the intensive development taking place at present.
“I was on my own making this stand,” wrote Pullicino.
For Pullicino the fact that things did not go the way he wished “is a reflection of the radical change that has occurred in the island,” arguing that decisions are still taken even if they do “not coincide with the opinion of a government member.”
The Tigné development was approved in stages ever since MEPA issued a development brief in 1992.
The development brief limited the residential units on Tigné Point to 300 a far cry from the proposed 500.
The brief also stated in black and white that in most areas heights should be limited to four floors. The only exceptions were the tower whose height was undetermined, and an area near the project’s gateway where six-floor development was allowed.
“They are prime sites and the people would hang me if I ruined the area… and they’d be right to do so,” declared millionaire businessmen Albert Mizzi in an interview published in 2004.
In their bid for a tender awarded in 1993 for the development of Tigné and Manoel Island, magnate Albert Mizzi’s consortium had proposed a sheer 200 apartments at Tigné point, 100 less than the amount envisioned in the 1992 development brief.
Yet over the years MEPA allowed residential development rising up to eight storeys, increased the volume of residential development and included new developments like cinemas.
“I discussed the project with three governments in all. Secondly we had to be sure that we agreed on everything, with an outline permit and details on everything from services to height limitations to the footprint,” Mizzi said in an interview.
Not a finger of protest was ever raised. Referring to the national consensus on his project, Mizzi claimed that “this is the only project in Malta that was approved by parliament without a division because we discussed at length with both sides of the house.”
It is only now that, faced with a “fait accompli”, that eyebrows are being raised.
Valletta mayor and Paul Borg Olivier distanced himself from the development in an interview with MaltaToday in October.
“Just imagine if one were to build that block just 200 metres from the Taj Mahal or the Giza Pyramids. While one can argue that the sea in itself is a buffer zone, some planners argue that this is not sufficient.”
While welcoming aspects of this development Borg Olivier describes the scale of development as “too massive (goff)…” adding that he is “visually not comforted by this development.”
MEPA auditor Joe Falzon also decreed the development in an interview with MaltaToday.
“When one looks at Tigné from Msida… it’s simply scary. Every time I look at Tigné from Msida I am shocked… it’s simply an exercise in fitting the maximum number of units.”

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt