Santa Venera residents aired their discontent at the recent approval of the Mriehel high-rise project during a vox pop organised by the Alternattiva Demokratika Zghazagh (ADZ).

Among the complaints made by residents in the ADZ video, was that an increase in traffic will most likely be observed. One person said that traffic will increase during the construction phase, and once the project is complete, and work begins as usual, then traffic will increase in the morning and at quitting time.

On August 4, the Planning Authority approved the Mriehel project, that will consist of four towers -  15, 17, 19 and 14 storeys high. The project will cost around €70 million. The towers will be centred around a piazza and have five basement levels and construction is estimated to take four years.

A number of ENGOs had opposed the project, and argued that the project in question was inserted into a the high-rise policy plan "by stealth" as Mriehel was not indicated as a possible location for high rise development initially. 

One woman spoke about a number of negative aspects, “among which is traffic, with people on their way to Mriehel passing through Santa Venera. This will have health impacts on Santa Venera residents, as well as the eyesore impact through the high-rise buildings. I think development is good, but only if it is planned properly”.

Another man said, while calling this development a monstrosity, that residents were very pleased to see the Wignacourt Arch rebuild, those who would go to take a picture of it will see a monstrosity behind it ruining views of the site. The visual impact is not the most worrying. What does worry me is that no proper study as to the environmental impact such a project would have”. He spoke about traffic and sewage problems that it could bring.

The same man mentioned that aside from asphalt and buildings, there is no greenery in that part of Malta. “We haven’t seen a single tree planted. Do we not think about planting trees so that people could breathe in fresh clean air?”