Gzira Mayor Conrad Borg Manché believes that he has found enough space for underground car parks to be constructed that will be able to house all the cars registered to Gzira residents.

Speaking with The Malta Independent in an interview published today, Manché highlighted the potential use of mechanised car parks, which would essentially be an automated system which will carry the car underground, and into a form of shelf, he explained.

During the interview, the mayor also spoke about the high rise issue in Gzira, and the need to tackle the parking problem.

He was asked about his locality’s reputation with regard to prostitution, and highlighted that prostitution in Gzira is nearly gone, and will soon be a thing of the past.

Manché is also the Chairman of the Ambjent Malta Board of Governors. The entity wants to push for the greening of urban areas, through the creation of living green walls, and green roofs. This, he explained, can and is being done through the use of a man-made material which is like foam instead of soil for the sides of buildings, serving as a soil substitute.

He also spoke about illegal dumping, and the need to tackle the issue through both enforcement, as well as other techniques by looking at the different sites to find specific solutions.

“Unfortunately, there is a lot of dumping in valleys, and we need to make it easier for people to dump their waste in the correct dumping areas, in order to prevent such situations in the future.”

Can you describe Ambjent Malta ?

Ambjent Malta is like Heritage Malta, but for Malta’s natural capital. We have a lot of natural capital, including valleys and parks, and we want to enhance them. We need to, for example, see what interventions are needed in our valleys, prioritise and see what needs to be done imminently. Such work would include cleansing work, protecting biodiversity and if needed, planting indigenous plants and trees.

What we do today would see results in a few years time. We need to start today. We also want to tackle the greening of urban areas.

What do you mean by the greening of urban areas?

There are new technologies to help with such greening.  Gzira townhouses used to have back gardens, but looking today a lot of them are gone. We need to do something to replace it. There are, for example, green walls and green roofs. We had constructed some green walls in the school, and will continue to add them to all classrooms. Instead of utilising soil, the technology uses a man-made material which is like foam, and serves as a soil substitute.

We want children to cut off from the pollution, and have a green environment. Its a win-win situation. In terms of green roofs, this would be roof gardens.

Such green walls on the side of buildings also serve as a form of insulation, keeping the warmth inside during winter, and the air cool in summer by providing shade.

This could be pushed forward through incentives.

Another way of implementing this would be for the Planning Authority to, in cases where a garden is being removed, have the developers replace it with something else, maybe a living green wall for example. While gardens in the past were not really seen from streets, this would allow for greener streetscapes and change the look of buildings.

In Gzira, there is no real place where to plant trees in the open. We can in the future, but we would first need to remove cars from the streets and change the way things are done. That would be my long-term plan for Gzira if I were to remain Mayor in the future, creating underground  car parks where the cars would park, and lining the streets with trees instead. Pavements would be made larger too, and this would change the whole look of the locality.

Do you have space for such car parks in Gzira?

Yes we do, a number of them. There is an area near Zammit Clapp, and there is also the application for the university car park, which is now part of the proposal for the new university sports ground. Another area would require just a small part of the Gzira garden, near the promenade on the front on the way to Ta’Xbiex. All we would need would be a 50m by 50m at ground level area, and would be able to construct a mechanised car park, where the car would automatically be taken to a slot underground. We could fit hundreds of cars in such a car park. Another such mechanised underground car park could be near the GEM 16 school, under the football ground.  No application has been filed yet, and we are looking into the costs and the timing to be able to have all the information in hand prior to issuing an expression of interest

We would be able to fit all the registered cars in Gzira in such underground car parks. If you come from Sliema road and park in an underground car park under the school then you wouldn’t create air pollution by driving around to find parking either. 

With regards to the powers of the authority, how would you implement the urban area greening idea?

The Board of governors researches and creates policy, seeing the best possible way of doing things. Our proposal is then passed on to the ministry.

Does Ambjent Malta have the authority to clean valleys  or does it need to ask for help from other entities?

Yes, we have a valley management unit.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of dumping in valleys, and we need to make it easier for people to dump their waste in the correct dumping areas, in order to prevent such situations of illegal dumping in the future.

Illegal dumping has been an issue for years. How could this issue be tackled?

Firstly through enforcement. But on the other hand, one also needs to look at specific sites. For example, a simple solution to solving the St Mark’s tower area near Maghtab would be to close off access for cars to solve the problem.

We held a cleanup there and found construction waste, toilets, metal. The biodiversity of the area was ruined.  Close of the road and leave the only access a passage for pedestrians.  These areas are being ruined by dumping.

With regards to personnel, do you have enough resources?

We have around 300 employees, who take care of all our sites. We have a huge remit. Natura 2000 sites fall under us, as does valley management. Cleansing does not fall under our remit but we work closely with them. When we cleaned Wied Qirda, the cleansing department came by to collect the debris we collected.

Gzira, St Julian’s and Sliema is becoming the centre for high rise in Malta. The population will increase, and this will create a problem...

Looking at the highrise we have right now, 14 East, I highlighted issues to the Planning Authority. You cannot have a road which was planned for two-storey buildings, and then rise by so much.

They have to compensate. It’s impossible to fully compensate but they must at least do something, and I imposed on them the construction of a living green wall with the building. It’s not how I wanted it but at least it’s something.

I’m not against high rise, but they need to be done in the proper place. You can’t have a high rise in a road which was planned for two-storey buildings.

Parking needs to be adequately provided, and they can even finance other car parks to compensate.

What do you make of the other highrises coming up?

I held some discussions with the developers regarding the Golden Harvest site and I told them that they need to compensate. There is a square near the site and we are planning on constructing a car park below while embellishing the area. That way the open spaces are maximised.

Government announced a new scheme to incentivise developers to construct underground car parks with green areas on top in urban areas. How realistic is it that people would take this up?

If we keep building the way we are we will be the victims of our own success. If one increases housing units, where will cars park? If we don’t provide parking we will congest the whole area. If you intend to sell units for a lot of money, they will not be attractive with so much congestion.

The university car park will not stop being used with students during the day, residents during the night, and people using the national pool and other facilities over the weekend. It will  definitely be financially viable for the university as well as a private individual if they want to work through a public-private partnership.

Gzira has a bit of a reputation problem, with regards to prostitution. How are you going to get rid of this?

To be honest with you I don’t think prostitution is still there. Maybe in Testaferrata street but in a few years I think it will be gone and we will forget about it. There are only a few left. I remember When I was young it was full but now... I think Gzira is more associated with construction than prostitution.

As a local council do you have any major upcoming projects?

We want to try and turn Manoel de Vilhena street, near the church, into a centre, by embellishing the road, in a Bisazza street fashion. We are leaving the parking there for the residents however.  We don’t have many squares in Gzira. We will also embellish the square near the polyclinic.

The Foundation for Tourism Zones is also going to conduct works on the promenade.