‘I live in fear’: Residents raise alarm over St Julian’s Cresta Quay excavation

It’s 3 AM and the windows of Maria’s apartment in St Julian’s rattle once again. She’s not dreaming. It’s another earthquake, the third this week. But these aren’t natural tremors; they’re caused by heavy machinery working round the clock at the Cresta Quay construction site just metres away.

Maria is one of many residents in the once-peaceful residential area who are now living in fear. They moved into the luxury apartments along St George’s Road, attracted by the sea views and the promise of a vibrant new development. But the reality has been far from idyllic. Since the excavation began, their homes have been shaken by what they describe as ‘constant earthquakes’.

“We were told there would be some noise and vibrations,” says Mario, another resident. “But this is ridiculous. It’s like living in a war zone.”

The construction company, Cresta Quay Developments, maintains that the vibrations are within legal limits. “We are using heavy machinery as required by the project,” a spokesperson says. “We have conducted thorough vibration assessments and can assure residents that the levels are well within the acceptable limits set by the authorities.”

However, residents dispute this. They’ve been recording the vibrations on their phones and sharing them on a community Facebook group, ‘Cresta Quay: Our Nightmare’. The videos show books falling off shelves, glasses rattling, and even a chandelier swinging.

Dr. Joseph Mizzi, a geologist at the University of Malta, has reviewed some of the videos. “While I can’t comment on the specific legal limits,” he says, “these vibrations are clearly causing significant disturbance to the residents.”

St Julian’s Local Council has been inundated with complaints. The council has been working with the residents and the construction company to find a solution. “We’re doing our best to balance the needs of the development with the wellbeing of our residents,” says the council’s spokesperson.

Councilor Alexia Debono has been actively involved in the issue. “We’ve asked the company to reduce working hours, especially at night,” she says. “We’ve also asked them to explore alternative methods of excavation that could reduce vibrations.”

But for many residents, the situation is becoming unbearable. Some have even started looking for alternative accommodation. “We just want our peace and quiet back,” says Maria. “We didn’t sign up for this.”

Mario adds, “We understand that development is necessary, but not at the cost of our quality of life. We’re not asking for the impossible, just some consideration and respect for our homes and our health.”

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