Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia has announced through his Facebook page that his Ministry shall conduct a beautification project by the Sliema Ferries to develop and open space and an underground car park. This is currently planned to replace the car park located opposite the Sliema Ferries by the coastline.

Farrugia’s Ministry is publishing a call of interest to collect any ideas, information, and proposals to turn the present parking lot into an open space filled with trees and bushes while developing an underground car park beneath it. This project shall be located in between both main directional dual carriageways along the Sliema waterfront.

“The project will be carried out to bring the car park underground and turn the upper part into an open space that people and families can enjoy”, said Minister Farrugia.

This call shall expire on 12 January 2024 and has been published on the government’s tendering website.

The allocated budget for this project is currently unknown.

This is the third time that such a project along The Strand in Sliema has been proposed with the first of which coming in 2012 by the Nationalist administration. After plans for an underground car park were approved by the Planning Authority, the 200-parking-spaced area and its paired garden were scrapped by the newly elected Labour Party administration due to cost concerns; the project was expected to cost €7 million.

Permits for this project were then revitalized in 2018, though no further action was taken and those permits expired earlier this year in 2023.