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5 JAMES DEBONO THE Superintendence is ob- jecting to the demolition of the Toyota showroom describing the all steel and glass structure as "modernist building of evi- dent architectural value/"and has described the proposed height of the proposed 11-story building as "excessive"for this area in Zebbug. In its review of the applica- tion the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage noted the showroom has already been proposed for scheduling by the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC), which is the Planning Authority's advi- sory panel on heritage issues. Instead the building should restored and "appropriately integrated in the new develop- ment. The Superintendence also noted that the site of the pro- posed development is in the immediate vicinity of a histori- cal chapel and approximately 200 meters from the Urban Conservation Area. It also called for a 'works method statement' to ensure that development works would not cause damage to the histor- ic chapel across Triq l-Imdina. While expressing no objec- tion to the demolition of the structure behind the modern- ist showroom or to the rede- velopment of the site the Su- perintendence described the proposed height and volumes of the proposed development as excessive in the context. It also called the Planning Authority is to ensure that any development is guided by the principles enshrined in the Eu- ropean Landscape Convention, which has not been ratified by successive Maltese govern- ments. The project which is front- ed by Michael and Geoffrey Debono's Rohan Arch Ltd. En- visages the demolition of the existing site facilities will make way for the construction of two separate buildings. One of the buildings will be developed on five levels in- cluding the ground floor and a receded top floor and will accommodate a 1200 sq.m su- permarket, retail outlets and a number of offices. The build- ing will also house a number of health and medical facili- ties including a gym, day care centre,and medical service fa- cilities, such as a dental surgery and cosmetic surgery. The second building will be developed on 11 storeys in- cluding the ground floor and a receded top level. This building will be used predominantly as office space, overlying a ground floor show- room area. The two buildings will be sep- arated by a landscaped public area over an area of 1,715sq.m. The development will also in- clude three basement levels of parking spaces which will ac- commodate a total of 908 ve- hicles. Local plan policies limit de- velopment in this area in Zeb- bug is limited to 17.5 metres. But the developers are using the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) mechanism which allows extra heights if a minimum of 50% of the site is retained as open space. Zebbug is not identified as a zone suitable for high-rise de- velopment, defined as being over 10 floors, in the policy regulating tall buildings. But medium-rise build- ings, defined as being equal to or less than ten floors, can still be approved in any local- ity except Gozo. Such develop- ment is limited to site greater than 4,000sq.m which are sur- rounded by roads on each side. The site in question covers 11,000sq.m. A project development state- ment submitted by the devel- opers acknowledges that the 11 storey block block located on Triq Ġanni Bonnici, will be considerably higher than the current buildings on site. "However, the inclusion of a landscaped public area will im- prove the overall aesthetic ap- peal of the area and provide a green open space which is cur- rently not present", the docu- ment claims. The increased number of ve- hicles visiting the site on a daily basis will also lead to increased PM10 and NO2 emissions, which could potentially lead to a deterioration of the air quali- ty in the surrounding areas. But the impact will be partly offset by the relocation of the vehicu- lar servicing workshop. "The removal of the spray- painting booths will lead to a reduction in VOC emissions and an improvement in the air quality in the neighbourhood." During the operational phase, developers envisage that 750 people will be working in the health-related commercial fa- cilities. An additional 2,700 people will be employed within the of- fice units. The PA has already received 1600 objections to the pro- posed development. Alternattiva Demokratika is also objecting to the proposed development. Local council Candidate Sam- uel Muscat has warned that apart from ruining the skyline, the building would have a seri- ous impact for local residents through the 'large amount of traffic which the development will generate and the relevant impacts on air quality, but also due to the proposed high-rise shadowing the neighbouring residential property, conse- quently impacting the effi- ciency and utility of the already installed photo-voltaic panels.' maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 APRIL 2019 NEWS Post of Two (2) Clerks Permit Number 155/2019 with Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) Job Requirements and Responsibilities available at https://mdia.gov.mt/careers/ Applications through email careers@mdia.gov.mt. Closing Date of Application 15/04/2019. Culture superintendence objects to Zebbug high-rise The Toyota showroom has already been proposed for scheduling by the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC)

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