Malta Environment and Planning Authority permit bearing reference number PA01391/05 of 14 March 2005 refers to the “Construction of apartments, local shops, childcare facility and underlying garages/parking areas” on what at present is a very wide open space in St Andrew’s – the last remaining in this area.

This last open area allows some breathing space in this otherwise heavily congested zone, with so much traffic continuously on the move without any control in any way with regard to speed, the environment and excessive noise. The residents in the Swieqi and Pembroke area surrounding this former parade ground cannot tolerate such a development scheme in this particular area – there is so many alternative areas where to get such a scheme realised, but certainly not the Luxol parade ground.

Please, Mr/Ms Minister, please Ms Marisa Micallef, move the planned development elsewhere. The residents concerned might be ignored by the authorities, at this early stage, but they will definitely have the final say at some stage or other.

Use the place for temporary parking of vehicles, for some occasional market stands (it would be nice to have a weekly market organised by the local council), for the occasional concert etc, but not for such a heavy development, please.

One final plea from the residents is “transfer this development elsewhere”, the space is required to give us the required breathing space in an over-developed area.

Adrian Camilleri

Swieqi