The Mepa board at last gave its approval, on Thursday, for MITA to move its data centres from Gattard House in Blata l-Bajda to the disused showroom, Carga House, in Psaila Street.

The board had already discussed this application on 11 March but had postponed decision since there were some issues that needed changing and also discussions to be held with the local council, which had complained it had not been consulted and which was up in arms over the parking issue.

MITA’s CEO, Matthew Gatt, explained why this move was being made by MITA. The site in Psaila Street is near to Mater Dei Hospital, where MITA has its backup servers. It is also near the IT providers and also near the power grid, since it is next to the Sta Venera main substation.

The former warehouse is also government-owned and has been empty for a number of years.

The big doors at the back, which led to warehouses, will be blocked up and so more cars can park there.

The two data centres will be housed at ground floor level and at first floor level. The second floor will be extended on the front side while there will also be a recessed penthouse, MITA is a highly secure workplace with very limited access, and it is in operation 24/7.

He then explained what has been changed in the application from 11 March.

The set-back on the penthouse level has been extended to 4.25 metres in front. Meetings had been held with the local council and an agreement had been reached that, if possible, the €43,000 Urban Improvement Fund contribution, will be used for an application by the local council for a skate park which is still being examined by Mepa.

But Mepa chairman Austin Walker would not be put off by such talk. There was also outstanding, he reminded Mr Gatt, the issue of parking. Mr Gatt replied that the use by MITA of this site will definitely be an improvement into what used to go on when the showroom and warehouses were in use, with trucks and forklifters in use. Besides, MITA has its own corporate services responsibility which it will use to help the local council.

Also, MITA will not be leaving Gattard House. Only the data centres will move to Sta Venera and initially only 40% of the floor area will be utilised. Besides, MITA already has a shuttle service to enable its employees to travel between Gattard House and Valletta. This service can be extended to Sta Venera so that MITA employees would be able to leave their cars at the Park & Ride facility and be taken to Sta Venera by the shuttle.

Architect Stephen Farrugia, on behalf of the local council, confirmed that meetings had taken place. The local council’s main concern was about parking, given the bad experience the locality had through the construction of what was meant to be BOV’s data centre but which has become the bank’s headquarters. What can stop MITA from doing the same?

Noise issues regarding airconditioning units have not been solved, Mr Farrugia added.

As regards the skate park application, this is in an ODZ area (very near to the Carga House) so it would have to be a Mepa board decision if the UIF is allocated to this project.

Mr Farrugia was however stopped by the chairman who said the board must not link this application to a future one which has yet to be determined. That application will be judged on its own merits.

Mepa vice-chairman Franco Montesin pointed out that the application was speaking of needing 70 more parking spaces, but this was in excess of the parking provisions required by the site when it was a showroom and a warehouse. Mr Montesin was quite scathing: The local council said it was worried by the parking issue, yet it turned out its focus was on a skate park. This is ‘a bazaar’, he said.

It was however pointed out by other board members that since the site will be in use 24/7, that means that not all employees will be on site during office hours.

Board member Joe Farrugia urged that the UIF be linked to a project by the local council to provide parking space but the local council’s architect replied bluntly there is no virgin area in the locality that can be turned to parking and the local council has no such project in mind. It is more focused on getting people to use public transport.

The application was then approved, with only Mr Montesin voting against. Mr Farrugia then moved to link the UIF with a local council project on parking, but no one could be found to second him and the motion thus lapsed.