The strategy for Valletta was a “shortsighted view” on the future of the city and was more about generating investment than helping liveability, a V18 study found.
The findings are part of a research plan by the Valletta 2018 foundation, which had set up a research department to gauge the impact of its stint at the helm of the European Capital of Culture.
The study, with architect Antoine Zammit as lead author, found “strong proof” that Valletta was transforming from a residential to a catering destination.
“The Valletta research reveals a number of lost opportunities and the decline of involvement due to policies,” it noted.
Most regeneration schemes spurred on by V18 did not have explicit policies on community participation, nor did they incorporate it into their strategic planning.
Research focused on four areas within Valletta that underwent regeneration: Strait Street, the Valletta market (Suq tal-Belt), the historic Biċċerija (slaughterhouse) quarter and fine arts museum Muża.
The evidence showed most regeneration schemes did not have explicit policies on community participation, nor did they incorporate it into their strategic planning, the report said.
“Overall, the…
