| Type | ICT and media park |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information Technology Business Park |
| Genre | Infrastructure Service Provider |
| Founded | 10th September, 2007 |
| Founder(s) | TECOM Investments and Sama Dubai |
| Headquarters | Kalkara, Malta |
| Website | http://www.smartcity.ae/malta/ |
SmartCity is a technology park currently under development in Kalkara, Malta. The plan is to transform the Ricasoli Industrial Estate into a state-of-the-art information technology and media city on the models of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City. The project was unveiled on 10 September 2007 by the Prime Minister of Malta, Lawrence Gonzi. The project will cost at least 275 million euros. The whole development, which covers an area of 360,000 square metres, is to be fully completed in 2021, although the first offices opened in 2010[1].
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On 23 April 2008 it was announced that the decision by SmartCity Malta to allocate more space for its business park meant that this park would employ more than 8,500 people, when the agreed figure for employment there had been 3,000. Smart City Malta, would have the space to employ 11,000, making it one of the biggest economic concentrations in Malta. Smart City Malta formally submitted its outline planning application for the development at Ricasoli to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) on 29 April 2008. The submission includes a full Environmental Impact Assessment and Traffic Impact Assessment. SmartCity Malta has applied for up to 158,500 square metres of business space, which represents an increase of 54 per cent over the business space which Smart City Malta is contractually bound to develop. On the other hand, the gross floor area of the residential component has been reduced by 30 per cent, down to 60,000 square metres. In terms of the Outline Planning Application, the residential component makes up 19 per cent of the total gross floor area of the project.[2] The application also provides for a huge public open space of 118,000 square metres, to serve as a primary recreational area for neighbouring communities. The energy requirements for Smart City Malta will be of 41.2MW.[3]
Smarty City Malta has been allocated a budget of 48 million euros for 2010. Smart City has also drawn up plans to market the project in China, Japan, Korea, Australia and Egypt.[4] Construction is currently going at a good pace.
Pros - It will bring thousands of Jobs to Malta, with estimations of employing up to 10,000 people, which may not seem that much, but in ratio with the countries overall population it is one massive amount, similar to the UK offering up 300,000 jobs. It will certainly benefit Malta's economy somewhat, and will create more highly skilled and paid jobs that Malta hasn't had in the past. The Maltese government also hopes that this will get Malta much worldwide attention and even make Smart City a global capital for IT.
Cons - Many Maltese people have begun to oppose Smart City as some feel it will hurt the ancient Maltese culture and perhaps not benefit the economy as much as hoped, due to the fact that Dubai has a large stake in Smart City.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101010/local/smart-city - Inauguration of First Block