FAQs
1. Will Manoel Island be open to the public?
Yes, Manoel Island will remain open to the public.
2. Will the foreshore be accessible and open for swimmers?
During the construction phase access to the foreshore will be maintained between sunrise and sunset as agreed with the Gzira Local Council
3. How much open space will there be on Manoel Island?
The new Masterplan for Manoel Island boasts of 192,000sqm of open space (the equivalent to 27 football pitches), of which 175,000sqm is public open space. This is made up of 80,000sqm Glacis Park surrounding Fort Manoel, 35,000sqm of open space at the entrance of the island together with another 77,000sqm in various areas of the project.
4. How high will the residential clusters be?
The residential clusters will not exceed four floors, while the car parking facilities will be underground. The building heights will be terraced from the seafront towards the centre of the island to create a varied architectural skyline which respects the islands topography. The maximum height of the development will NOT exceed the height of the buildings in Fort Manoel.
5. What will Fort Manoel be used for?
Fort Manoel is destined to become a centre for Culture and the Arts, comprising of galleries, museums, shops, restaurants and a parade ground for open air events, all with full public access.
6. Will the Lazzaretto be restored?
Yes, Lazzaretto will be restored for mixed use including hospitality.
7. Will there be any retail and food and beverages outlets?
The development will also include an animated retail and food and beverage offering which will be sensitively designed around the open public spaces in the heart of the development.
8. Will there be recreational facilities?
A football ground, a bocci pitch and other recreational facilities are an integral part of the Masterplan.
9. Will Manoel Island be accessible by car?
Manoel Island will be accessible by car, however parking and most of the circulation will be located below ground, thereby promoting a car free environment.
10. Will the heritage buildings on Manoel Island be used?
Yes all the heritage buildings will be adaptively re-used.
11. What percentage of the island is taken up by new buildings?
The footprint of new buildings occupies circa 10% of the Manoel Island concession granted to MIDI.
12. What is the gross floor area of the Manoel Island development?
The gross floor area of the whole Manoel Island development is 95,000sqm of which 55,000sqm related to new buildings.
13. Will there be any land reclamation?
The new Masterplan does not include any form of land reclamation, thereby eliminating the impact of the development on the Gzira promenade.
14. What is the role of the Manoel Island Foundation?
The Gżira Local Council together with MIDI established a non-profit foundation “The Manoel Island Foundation” with the specified purpose of being entrusted with the guardianship of the rights and obligations agreed to between MIDI and the local council as set out in the Guardianship Agreement.
15. Will the slipways and moorings be affected by the development?
The slipway and the organised moorings will not be affected by the development.
16. Will there be a shopping mall on Manoel Island?
No shopping malls are planned for at Manoel Island.
17. How will the Manoel Island development impact the traffic on the mainland?
The reduced Masterplan will have less impact on the mainland traffic since less cars will be commuting because of the reduced development.