Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1156727
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 AUGUST 2019 JAMES DEBONO CONSTRUCTION magnate Charles Polidano has applied for the regularisation of a 2.9m-high boundary wall and a gate that encloses a 3,329 sq.m site outside development zones, in the vi- cinity of Safi's Lidl supermarket. The site had been earmarked for the devel- opment of a neo-classical villa in a previous application, which was later withdrawn. The application comes in the wake of an en- forcement order against the illegal construc- tion of the wall and foundation works, which was issued last year. In the application, the field enclosed by the wall is described as "an infill site" due to its location between residential development on one side and the Lidl supermarket directly ad- jacent to it. The area is characterised by agri- cultural fields. The Planning Authority had controversially approved the Lidl supermarket in Safi, con- structed by Polidano himself in 2007, a deci- sion that had then been condemned by the PA's internal ombudsman, leading to the en masse resignation of the planning commis- sion responsible for the decision. ERA had opposed the development of a villa in this site, noting that the location of the site between existing developments "should not be used as a pretext to gain further develop- ment permissions and expanding the range of land uses in this agricultural area". The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has also called for an archaeological investiga- tion of the site, recalling that it had expressed concern on the archaeological sensitivity of land where the adjacent supermarket was built. NEWS ing that existing culverts were sufficient to cater for storm water resulting from the ap- plication, pointing out that during heavy rain, storm water already overflowed the culverts and created danger to pedestri- ans. The zoning application pre- sented by Mario Debono on behalf of Wied Bufula Devel- opments Limited proposed a change in zoning by removing a schemed road, creating a pe- destrian route to link Triq San Pawl and Triq Ghajn Rasul and designating a new zone for res- idential development. The Planning Authority has rejected a zoning application to designate the mouth of Wied Bufula, the valley at Xemxija, for residential development the construction of a mod- ern five-storey block as being "completely out of context to its historic surroundings", raising questions on the point of having an Urban Conserva- tion Area. Jason Mifsud's Grand Prop- erty Holdings wants to build 15 apartments and three mai- sonettes instead of the ver- nacular building in Sqaq Kar- la. His architect is the former environment and planning minister George Pullicino. According to the cultural heritage watchdog, the build- ing contains various original architectural features which are worthy of protection and retention. These include the niche of St Joseph which forms part of the main façade. The niche was included in the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Is- lands and includes a statue of St Joseph holding baby Jesus in his left hand and a lily stem in his right hand. The statue includes folded drapery and is resting on a small pedes- tal. The arched niche has an angular pediment topped by a cross, and a cornice at the bottom. Below the cornice is a metal hook and lamp and an inscription granting an indul- gence by Mgr. Antonio Mario Buhagiar in 1886. The statue is painted in white, while the niche is painted in greyish blue. The building's internal ar- chitectural features include double thickness walls, arch- es, xorok, kileb and wooden beams" which should be re- tained as existing". Jason Mifsud's Grand Property Holdings wants to build 15 apartments and three maisonettes instead of the vernacular building in Sqaq Karla. His architect is the former environment and planning minister George Pullicino MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT Polidano wants illegal Safi boundary wall regularised