It was good to hear that the government's major urban greening proposals are still on the cards, although some plans have changed.
During an interview published in The Malta Independent on Sunday, Environment Minister Miriam Dalli was asked about projects the government had proposed prior to the last general election for the creation of major urban public spaces.
The most advanced of these major projects in Malta seems to be the one planned for Cospicua, where an underground car park and a garden above it would be created on land that was originally earmarked for the American University of Malta. Dalli said that tenders for this project will soon be issued, and work will soon start.
The most famous of the projects that had been planned, however, seems to be more problematic. The St. Anne's Street project in Floriana has had to change due to archaeological findings, and the minister highlighted that they will not be excavating. This obviously means that the idea of having cars travelling beneath will not be possible.
The minister said that the authorities are in talks with the local council and is looking at how they can give a new look to the street. The original proposal was a pledge in the Labour Party's 2022 electoral manifesto, and it was a major talking point at the time. The PL should ensure that all studies are completed before making such an electoral pledge in the future.
The Santa Venera project still seems to be a way off. The project would involve roofing over the area just outside the Santa Venera tunnels and creating a public garden on top, but the minister said the government does not want to create congestion issues "considering that a number of other projects are ongoing," she said, mentioning the Msida Junction project in particular. "We are also looking at what kind of financial models could be created for such a project, she said." This shows that the project will not start quite yet.
Regarding the project planned for Hamrun, where the plan is to convert the site of a Ħamrun milk factory into a public garden, the minister said it is on hold, because the milk factory is still there as an alternative site for it has not yet been found." Once an alternative site is found for the factory, then this project would be able to get moving.
As for the San Gwann project, outside the Parish Church, the planning application for the first phase to construct an underground car park is with the Planning Authority, and discussions are ongoing in order for a planning application to be moved forward regarding how the government will do up the area in front of the square and the road.
The government should get moving quicker on these projects, given that it had hyped them up to the public before the general election.
Malta's urban areas need more green spaces. Unfortunately, the way the country developed over the years showed a lack of planning on the part of the Planning Authority and its predecessors. This was a failing on the part of the Planning Authority and its predecessors, for failing to properly plan out Malta's urban environment.
This means that today, creating large public open spaces in urban areas is not easy. But the focus needs to be on creating these spaces, and more such proiects are needed especially in heavily urbanised environments such as Sliema, St Julian's, St Paul's Bay and the list goes on.