Parliamentary questions on plans to transform Valletta's Strait Street into a cultural hub - including late night entertainment - led to a brief debate on how to strike a balance between the city's regeneration and the interests of nearby residents this evening.
The parliamentary questions were made by PN MP and Valletta native Claudio Grech, and were answered by Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Michael Falzon.
The first question concerned the consultation process leading to the publication of the plans to transform the street into a "creativity and multi-cultural hub," which was duly explained by Dr Falzon. In his second question, however, Mr Grech questioned whether plans to allow activities with "late night operating times such as bars and music venues" were consistent with what remains a largely residential area.
Dr Falzon, however, insisted that such activity would be concentrated in a core area - the part of the street that lies behind Main Guard, bounded by Old Theatre Street and Archbishop Street - which is presently dominated by empty buildings, with few residences.
He said that the vast majority of the street's residents lived in other parts of the street, where less intensive cultural activities were foreseen to respect residents.
But Mr Grech pointed out that while the core part of Strait Street may be largely uninhabited, a considerable number of people still lived in nearby streets, and stood to be inconvenienced.
Dr Falzon noted that in the part in question was sandwiched between Main Guard and the St Albert the Great College, and reiterated that there were few residents in the area where late night activity would be concentrate, but Mr Grech still argued that the plans may be incompatible with Valletta.
The parliamentary secretary consequently stressed that the government would be considering all issues, including controls to minimise inconvenience to residents, but questioned whether entertainment areas in Valletta should be ruled out.
"Shall we declare Valletta to be a cemetery where activity dies down after shops close, or should it host entertainment attractions as is the case in any other capital city," Dr Falzon asked.
After pointing out that regeneration was already taking place in Strait Street, he said that one must take care of residents but also breathe new life into Valletta. He also noted that 14 applications to develop boutique hotels in Valletta had been received, of which nine had been approved.
Once more, he emphasised that the plan was not to allow a free-for-all, but added that if anyone wanted Valletta to remain a "museum" - in contrast to other capital cities - they should declare this.