Tigné to get ‘final makeover’ as MIDI asks for more
James Debono
The last phase in the MIDI consortium’s Tigné Point project will have a lesser impact on views from Valletta… but only thanks to the Fort Cambridge development’s 20-storey tower block, a study on the visual impact of MIDI’s latest modifications concludes.
Described as the “final makeover” of the Sliema landscape “which has been declining over the past 30 years”, the study shows photomontages of Fort Cambridge and MIDI superimposed on the existing landscape.
The planning authority (MEPA) issued an outline permit in 1999 to MIDI for construction of the entire Tigné peninsula.
In 2005, the developers applied to increase building heights in the ‘north’ sector of the project. MIDI already had a permit for a 23-storey hotel. But building heights in this sector were set at between five and 12 floors.
Now the developers are seeking an increase of six to eight floors over the original outline permit.
Block T14, earmarked for a multi-storey office block with underlying car park, business centre and conference theatre, is set to rise 14 floors, terracing down to 10 floors.
Block T17, two residential apartment blocks overlying a car park and clubhouse, has a proposed height of 12 storeys.
Visual impacts The impact assessment focuses on the visual impact of the latest additions to MIDI from 15 different viewpoints assessing both the impact of the development and the sensitivity of each viewpoint.
The study deems the impact of the changes from Great Siege Road in Valletta “moderate” – but only because the landscape has been changed by the nearby Fort Cambridge development and the Midi project itself as approved in 1999.
Similarly to the Tigné Point, the Fort Cambridge development is fruit of a development brief issued by the government for the development of the Tigné peninsula. In this case, in the outline permit a previous height limitation of 16 storeys was extended to 23 storeys as a compensation for curtailing the sprawl of the development. Subsequently this was cut back to 20 storeys (which should have the same height of a 16 storey block) following the presentation of photomontages of the project.
Now, the updated impact assessment for Tigné Point concludes that the sensitivity of the landscape to large scale developments is low, because in “its present state, there is little of value in the landscape”.
But this was not the case before Fort Cambridge and MIDI were approved.
“It should be noted, however, that in the past, prior to other large-scale developments in the area, the sensitivity of the area (as seen from Valletta) to such projects may have been considered to be moderate, or possibly high.”
But since “the character of the area has changed substantially and the significance of the impact was considered to be on the moderate side, as the proposed development will not challenge the dominance of the Fort Cambridge apartment blocks.”
But this judgement was only made “on the basis of the visual scene as moulded by the approved, but yet unbuilt, developments”.
On the other hand, the impact of the latest additions as seen from Marsamxett is deemed to be “moderate to high” because of the scale of the additions to MIDI’s original permit.
The additions will not be visible from Vittoriosa and Fort St Angelo, but “will result in a substantial change in the skyline” when viewed from Bighi. But the experts then say that, considering Fort Cambridge’s impact, the visual impact of the Tigné Point’s modifications was deemed to be low.
And although the impact on the skyline as seen from Manoel Island’s bridge is judged to be on the low side, put together, Fort Cambridge and Tigné Point will form “a dense cluster which shall have a radical effect on the character of the area,” the study notes.
The experts do not pass judgement on the overall impact of the project: “it is not within the scope of this landscape assessment to pass judgment on the desirability of this development, or otherwise.”
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Search:
MALTATODAY
BUSINESSTODAY
Download MaltaToday Sunday issue front page in pdf file format
All the interviews from Reporter on MaltaToday's YouTube channel.
