Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1024340
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 SEPTEMBER 2018 JAMES DEBONO WINTER will be a darker sea- son in Pembroke's housing es- tates if the db group's 38-storey tower and 17-storey hotel are approved by the Planning Au- thority on 20 September. The PA's case officer report recommending the approval of the project, located a few metres from Pembroke's residential ar- ea, acknowledges that the pro- ject's shadows "would definitely be of high significance during specific hours during the day". The report refers to shadow- ing studies included in the en- vironmental impact assessment (EIA), which show the tall build- ings casting a long shadow on the housing estate particularly during "the early and late hours of the day during the winter months". According to these studies while the residential areas to the north of the site would be affected in the mornings, the hotels to the east, southeast, and south will be affected in the af- ternoons. The EIA included studies of the shadows of the buildings in the development during differ- ent parts of the day and the year. The studies show that in De- cember the shadowing on the residential area will persist until noon, while by 5pm the tow- ers will cast a shadow over the Natura 2000 site and reach the Pembroke Reverse Osmosis Plant. The proposed project is locat- ed across the street from a resi- dential area in apparent breach of the Floor Area Ratio policy, which states that tall buildings should be located away from residential priority areas as they "are naturally alien to these low- rise, compact locations." The case officer refers to this policy but simply concludes that "the development is seen as a landmark building in a locality (Paceville) identified by the FAR (floor-area ratio) document as a designated appropriate loca- tion for tall building due to its predominance in tourism and leisure uses". Outcome of vote uncertain These considerations are ex- pected to have a bearing on the vote of individual board mem- bers on a project which has a bearing on the quality of life of residents living in a Labour lean- ing area. Interviewed by MaltaToday in the aftermath of a protest by Pembroke residents in May, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had hinted at a "good compro- mise" to ensure that the project is "done sensibly and in a way which respected the neighbour- hood". But so far the developers have only made small changes, like an eight-metre reduction in the height of the tower and a re- moval of a floor from the hotel building. While the PA's planning di- rectorate is fully backing the project, sources in the author- ity confirmed that the outcome of the vote cannot be taken for granted. Although the Environment and Resources Authority has not objected to the project, its chairman Victor Axiak is known for having a mind of his own. In June a spokesperson for the ERA confirmed that Axiak will only decide on how to vote "af- ter all the information related to this case has been heard by the board." The same applies to Planning Board chairman Vince Cas- sar, who had voted against the Townsquare project in Sliema due to its excessive dimensions. The PA chairman had also vot- ed against the 32-storey Mer- cury House development in St Julian's. Of particular interest for resi- dents will be the vote of govern- ment representative Clayton Bartolo, the Labour MP, who may find himself at odds with Labour mayor Dean Hili who has reiterated his opposition to the project, and Opposition rep- resentative Marthese Portelli. The latter has already expressed strong doubts on whether the project is in line with planning policies. But the project may open a can of worms for the PN and its leader Adrian Delia on the eve of the Independence Day celebrations: while at lo- cal level party representatives have opposed the project, the PN leader has so far failed to pronounce himself against the project proposed by the same db Group which had funded the party before the general election. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Pembroke towers will cast a long wintry shadow on housing estate How the db tower shadow will fall on the residential area in Pembroke on the first day of spring at 9am How the db tower shadow will fall on the residential area on the first day of winter at 9am PL delegates convened at ministry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "We were asked to attend a meeting hosted by the minister about ways of as- sisting him in any future campaign for a leadership bid," the other delegate said. The delegates said calls were made to practically all Labour delegates who have a job inside the health department. They also said that Carmen Camilleri Ciantar, the CEO for the Foundation for Medical Services, was involved in the ef- fort to summon delegates to the meeting, which was held at the ministry in Val- letta. A spokesperson for the health minister did not deny the claims when they were put to her. "Labour deputy leader Chris Fearne meets with party delegates on a regular basis. Indeed, he would be neglecting his role as deputy leader if he did not listen and discuss policy with the party grass- roots." MaltaToday was told that while the meeting garnered wide attention from Labour delegates employed in the health department, delegates who did not at- tend were wary of being "singled out" for an evidence lack of interest or support. However, this newspaper is informed that one delegate who attended the meet- ing took the opportunity to ask the min- ister why he was hosting such a meeting when there was not yet any sign that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat will be bowing out of the party leadership. "We were 14 in all, including Fearne and Camilleri Ciantar," the delegate said. "At least 24 workers were invited to the meeting." MaltaToday is also informed that Fearne will be holding the meeting once every two months. Fearne has not excluded a future bid for the role of Labour leader once Muscat, who has publicly declared he will not run in a third general election, steps down from the leadership. When he was running for the deputy leadership election in July 2017, Fearne had stressed his loyalty towards Muscat, but appeared to leave the door open to a bid, if and when the PM steps down as party leader. "I have absolute loyalty to- wards the Labour Party and Joseph Mus- cat… I believe that Joseph Muscat is the best leader the Labour Party can have in the coming years." Muscat has twice declared he will not be running the Labour Party at the next general election in 2022, both before and after he won the last election. And while billed as a minister with an ambition for the top post, Fearne – a pae- diatric surgeon – had later said he wanted to see Muscat win a third general election and beat his third PN leader. "It would be a fitting end to an exciting, inspiring and inspired political journey which started from the bottom of the mountain and reached the highest peak." Fearne is described as a "formidable campaigner" by Labour insiders, and despite a MaltaToday poll showing that people like MP Robert Abela and MEP Miriam Dalli could be popular choices for a future Labour leader, the health minister has been actively setting his fu- ture course. NEWS