Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar backs the main objectives of the Fort St Elmo and Environs Development Brief to restore and rehabilitate the Fort as a cultural & recreational tourist attraction housing museums, a heritage trail and cultural facilities.
This urgent work is no easy task especially since new uses have to be found for this large complex. Malta still lacks a permanent exhibition space for contemporary art as well as a costume museum; other projects that could be considered for the Fort include an industrial museum displaying early technology and equipment.
FAA is concerned that the Development Brief’s proposal to set up more shops at St Elmo and the nearby Pinto Magazines could harm existing shops in Valletta, on which the centre of the city depends; FAA stresses the need to think creatively and holistically in the interests of all of Valletta and its different communities.
Some of St. Elmo’s internal spaces could be converted into much-needed rehearsal rooms for drama, music and ballet or to hold arts master classes. The Pinto Magazines could be converted into working showcases for traditional crafts like lace, filigree, weaving, gilding, carving and boat-building. The Development Brief’s proposal to set up an IT centre should be actively pursued.
FAA cannot back the proposal to construct up-market housing on the site of the Evans’ Laboratories. Previous Government plans announced to the public had earmarked this site for a 4-star hotel to attract cultural tourists to enjoy the artistic activities at St. Elmo and its environs.
Given the area’s unemployment and social problems, FAA maintains that the building of new residences at Evan’s Laboratories would only provide work during construction whereas a hotel would generate a large number of long-term employment possibilities and make up for the lack of hotels within Valletta’s walls. Training schemes to equip local residents with the skills that would prepare them for work in the hospitality industry would ensure that a hotel near St Elmo could help reverse the urban degeneration of the area.
Building new accommodation in this area would undermine the effort to restore the many vacant and deteriorating houses in lower Valletta which could result in equally desirable accommodation as well as creating work for restorers, preserving the character of this area. FAA recommends that the Rehabilitation Project goes one step further: in addition to the construction of a hotel on the Evan’s Laboratories site, FAA suggests that the Authorities should actively promote the setting up of up-market boutique hotels and guesthouses in restored old buildings.
To this end FAA has taken the initiative and brought over two French consultants who have guided such projects in Paris and Lyons, in order to assess the potential of such ventures on our islands. Although a novel idea for Malta, 4-star guest-houses have been a great success in many European historical centres, offering the benefits of overcoming unemployment, regenerating degraded areas and restoring heritage properties. Such establishments would cater to a different clientele, and therefore not compete with the hotel but would bring more tourists to the city.
During a meeting with HE Daniel Rondeau, the French Ambassador, who is very supportive of Valletta’s urban regeneration, Mme Villein, Mlle Neki and FAA committee members explored the potential of French cooperation to provide training in this sector in Malta. Further meetings held with the Secretariat of Tourism and the Lands Department, discussed the legal, financial and technical support necessary for such projects which would serve to restore Valletta architecturally, socially and economically, while respecting this great city’s unique character.
