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MT 29 July 2018

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11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 JULY 2018 NEWS Paradise Bay Hotel seeks two- storey extension JAMES DEBONO THE four-storey Paradise Bay Hotel in Cirkewwa is seeking a two-storey extension to create an additional 100 rooms. The new policy regulating hotel heights allows hotels to build two extra storeys over and above what is allowed in local plans, but does not apply to hotels located outside de- velopment zones. Yet this has not stopped ho- tels located outside develop- ment zones from applying to get their share of extra storeys. In fact, Paradise Bay Hotel is not the first hotel in the Cirkewwa area to seek space for more rooms. The Plan- ning Authority has already ap- proved a highly visible heart- shaped seven-storey extension to the Ramla Bay hotel, to replace a number of low-rise apartments, despite concerns on the visual impact of the development especially when viewed from the Comino ferry and the rocky foreshore along Triq il-Marfa. Another hotel, the Riviera Hotel, originally consisted of a small 61-room hotel built in the 1960s which was later granted a massive extension in 2002 and given a permit for an extra two storeys in two suc- cessive applications. The Paradise Bay hotel was already granted an extension for a fourth floor comprising 36 rooms, which was approved in 2009. A decision over an applica- tion to upgrade existing hotel beach facilities, including an outdoor lounge and BBQ area will be taken on 7 August. The case officer has objected to this application which foresees the demolition of the existing lido structures and concrete plat- form, to construct a restaurant 4.4 metres above street level with an underlying snack bar and dive shop, on level with the coast. The structure as proposed will rise eight metres above the coastal level. The Planning Authority's planning directorate insists that the new additional floor- space at street level is "of great concern in terms of visual im- pact". Subsequently the Plan- ning Commission had asked the developers to present new plans which minimise the vis- ual impact. Paradise Bay Hotel is owned by Ferdinand Fenech Ltd, which inherited the portfo- lio of tourism pioneer Moses Fenech who started the busi- ness in the 1950s from humble beginnings, when he opened a small food and beverage outlet called Cote' d'Or at Golden Bay. In the early 60s he built two floors on the Cote d'Or for tourism purposes and started the building of the original Golden Sands Hotel with 118 rooms, which by the late 70s had increased to 360 rooms. JAMES DEBONO A restoration project by the Xaghra local council will give the statue of Our Lady – found in the middle of the picturesque Ramla l-Hamra bay – her arm back. The statue representing Our Lady of Hope has been in dire need for restoration: paint on the statue is flaking off and its arm has broken off. Three marble plaques found on the statue, describing its historical importance, are barely legible. The concrete statue is rendered with an oil-based paint and stands on a limestone pedestal plastered over with cement-layer painted cream. It dates back to 1881 when it was erected by John Gauci, the last remaining member of the Polizia Marinare (marine police) which guarded the Order of St John's Belancourt Battery, constructed in the early 18th century. The statue was meant to provide solace to the solitary guards, at a time when the beach was barely frequented. All that remains of the historical redoubt is a small section of its pentagonal platform near the base of the 19th century statue. The pedestal of the statue is made of stones taken from the fortifications. In 1966 the statue was replaced by one cast in concrete by Gozitan sculptor Wistin Camilleri at the cost of £40. It had been designed by Mgr Mikiel Angelo Apap . In the restoration works approved by the Planning Authority last week, the statue will be removed and transported to a workshop where the necessary restoration works can be carried out in a sheltered environment. They will include the cleaning of the surface paint, the removal of detached paint and the mortar reconstruction of parts of the statue. If the reconstruction is found to be not stable, the arm will be reconstructed separately and attached to the statue using resin. No works are envisaged to be carried out on the actual pedestal, but less visually intrusive spotlights will be installed. The three marble plaques attached to the pedestal will be cleaned and the etched wording restored. Gozo Ramla Madonna to get her arm back

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