New details for a high-rise building close to the Swieqi tunnels have emerged.

Today, the Environment and Resources Authority launched its public consultation for the terms of reference required for an Environmental Impact Assessment on the project. The site is at Triq Santu Wistin and Triq Sant Andrija in Paceville,

The building, should the Planning authority accept the applications, will have a gross floor of circa 43,200 square metres (sqm), according to the Project Description Statement (PDS), included as part of the public consultation;.

“The site is located in one of the most prominent spots within the busy and hectic streets in Paceville, a hub for entertainment, hospitality and business. More particularly, it lies right at the entrance to the town and is directly accessible off the busy Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli then developing into Triq Il-Mediterran. Now cluttered by obsolete villas, the site will be developed to become the true Gate for Paceville, a landmark project that will become ‘The’ business hub for Malta,” The PDS read.

“The building is composed of three main programs: Offices spaces occupying the lowest west part of the building, Residential block above the offices and a Hotel toward the east side stretching for the entire height of the building.”

The project is a mixed used project that includes 12,000sqm of residential uses, 12,000sqm of Business Centre, 1,000sqm of commercial activities and a 4500sqm hotel, the PDS states.

Currently the first phase of the project has been filed as a Planning Application. “The uses proposed in Phase 1 of the project (relative to this application) are 4 levels of basement garages / parking area.”

The primary objective of the scheme is “to redevelop a disused area in the heart of Paceville and bring back into use a core area as a quality addition to Malta’s 5 star tourism accommodation infrastructure, business centre, as well as to supplement the residential accommodation in this area.

The developer is Paul Xuereb, the person behind PX Lettings Ltd.

In terms of project timing should applications related to the project be approved, the estimated duration of the construction phase 1 of the Scheme is envisaged to be 40 weeks, and 35 months for the whole project without considering the finishing; construction will likely be carried out in 4 phases (demolition, excavation, construction and finishing), the PDS reads.

In terms of traffic impacts, the PDS states that the Scheme will give rise to traffic impacts both during construction (including heavy-vehicle traffic) and when it comes into operation. “Measures for mitigating the impact from construction traffic will be addressed in the Construction Management Plan (CMP). Operational traffic impacts may result in impacts on air quality.”