In a year’s time Fort St Angelo will be transformed into a high-class spa and health club amounting to an investment of Lm1.5 million, Roads and Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett said yesterday.

Mr Mugliett was visiting the construction works at the Royal Navy Distillery and Ward Building at Fort St Angelo in Cottonera.

He pointed out that Cottonera is experiencing investment from all sectors like it never was before.

“The demand for this area has grown and the money invested will renew Cottonera,” said Mr Mugliett. The Cottonera Waterfront Group is part of the consortium restoring the two areas in Fort St Angelo which has been abandoned for over 20 years, he added.

“The health club and spa will continue adding to Cottonera’s appeal and different types of people, including foreigners, will be attracted to the area,” he pointed out.

The fort was left abandoned for many years and the project will restore the building to its former glory. Minister Mugliett explained that the consortium is working to remove structures which were put up in the seventies. “The dividing walls put up in the granaries will be knocked down and the expanded polystyrene (jablo) soffits which hid the architectural characteristics will be removed. The access to the sentry box next to the bastions will also be re-opened.”

The project goes hand-in-hand with the government’s vision to bring back Malta’s cultural beauty and heritage through private-public partnership, he added.

Mr Mugliett pointed out that the health club will continue adding to the diversity of establishments already available on the waterfront.