The Sliema Local Council will be holding an urgent meeting on Wednesday to discuss an appeal against the controversial Townsquare highrise project, this newsroom has learnt.

The application for the 38-storey tower was approved a few days ago at a meeting where the Environment and Resources Authority was not represented. The ERA has also confirmed that it will not be appealing the Planning Authority’s decision itself.

Earlier this week, Sliema AD councilor Michael Briguglio called on his council colleagues to appeal the decision. The council later confirmed that an appeal would be lodged.

The Townsquare project will feature 159 apartments, 4,700 square metres of office space, 10,000 square metres of retail space and 748 parking spaces as well as the restoration of the nearby Villa Drago.

Last Thursday, the Planning Authority approved the development, with seven votes in favour and six against. PA Chairman Vince Cassar was among those who did not want the project to go through.

Dr Briguglio said that the Environment Authority has lost all credibility. "The Chairman of the ERA did not turn up for the Townsquare meeting, nor the earlier one regarding the Mriehel project. He said he was sick, which is fair enough, but the ERA should appeal since certain policies were not addressed".

Nationalist Party reacts

The Nationalist Party has insisted on the publication of observations made by Chairman of the Environmental and Resources Authority Professor Victor Axiaq in relation to the Town Square high-rise project in Sliema.

“The thinking behind the observations made is for them to be read out publicly during the Planning Authority Board hearing – this did not happen. For this reason, at the minimum the environmental voice can no longer be stifled, and that which was intended to be public, should be made public,” the PN said in a press release issued this afternoon.

“This was the first credibility test for the ERA, however this was completely tarnished.  In the name of Sliema residents, who are to be directly affected by this excessive development, and in the name of transparency, the PN is insisting that these observations are made public immediately.”