Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1179886
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 OCTOBER 2019 JAMES DEBONO A planning policy approved in 2015 is offering developers a window of opportunity by al- lowing owners of sites located adjacent to the development zones, to create a so-called 'transitional zone'. Instead of outrightly turning down an application to build a new residential block outside development zones proposed by Euchar Vella's Karkanja Property Development, the Planning Authority's planning commission wants the devel- opers to present new plans to reduce the scale of the develop- ment proposed. As proposed, the application foresees 10 residential units, a penthouse, a shop, a pool, and a basement on 320sq.m adjacent to a blank party wall along Triq Papa Gwanni Pawlu II in Rabat, Gozo. The site is zoned by the local plan as part of a Strategic Open Space gap, which is governed by a policy that forbids the PA from permitting "any urban de- velopment in designated Stra- tegic Open Space Gaps except for essential small-scale utility infrastructure." The PA's case officer acknowl- edged that the proposed devel- opment would be in breach of the local plan designation, but concluded that the develop- ment should not be judged ac- cording to these criteria but according to the 2015 Design Guidelines, which include a clause applicable to sites on the edge of the development zones. In this case the case officer said the new development could mitigate against the exist- ing blank party walls by creat- ing a transition between the de- velopment zone and the ODZ (outside development zones). Still, the case officer recom- mended refusal because the development would be exces- sive in height, massing and volume and failed to provide "an adequate transition solu- tion" between the building in the development zone and the ODZ land. The case officer also objected because the proposed dwellings at basement level are in breach of policies that for- bid dwellings located beneath street level. The PA's planning commis- sion has now asked the devel- opers to present new plans to address these concerns and postponed the decision to 3 December. The Environment and Re- sources Authority is objecting to the development, insisting that it will result in the urban sprawl of built structures be- yond the allocated develop- ment zone and will result in the take up of rural land. "Such ur- ban-type developments should be restricted to areas where such land use has already been established so as to control and reduce the proliferation of un- justified land use ODZ." It also warned that the ap- proval of this development would set a precedent for pos- sible future similar urban ex- pansion beyond the develop- ment boundary. What the policy says The development of existing edge plots located outside the development zone is deemed to be acceptable in principle but the Authority has to ensure a suitable transition between the sites within the develop- ment zone and the ODZ. The development must be located adjacent to an existing blank party wall. The depth of the edge plot cannot exceed the length of such party wall. The development must be stepped such that the height of devel- opment immediately adjacent to the ODZ will not be higher than 8.5metres measured ex- ternally. It will subsequently be stepped until it reaches the height established for the rest of the development zone. Buildings on such sites must have "a high architectural de- sign quality". NEWS Malta, shrunk down No 6. The IIP What are we skinning? The Individual Investors' Programme, or the 'Golden Passport' or 'sale of citizenship' scheme. Why are we skinning it? As my own euphemistic breakdown above already shows, it takes a certain amount of 'skinning' to even get to what the procedure is all about, which is all kind of interesting vis-a-vis the political discourse surrounding this latest innovation in the Maltese economic mechanism. Why is it interesting? Well, surely you'll agree that doing our darndest not to simply call it 'sale of citizenship' shows a certain jitteriness to the thing? Oh, come on. Everything is euphemised in politics, really. And now you're just opening us up to the bullying discourse of larger countries that are jealous of our ways of managing the economy of a small state... Okay, just stop it. Why? It's only fair to point out our scale in the grand scheme of things. Sure, but one must also remember that not all criticism stems from jealousy, and that a lax and abusive approach to the IIP can lead to the erosion of the quality of life of the average Maltese person too. But more money swirling around can't really be a bad thing, can it? If people want a Maltese citizenship and are willing to pay for it, why should we stop them? 'More money swirling around' can certainly end up in darker swirls if we let it. And let's not forget the torturous fate of would-be naturalised citizens: normal working people who have acclimatised to Maltese life and have to jump through bureaucratic hoops for years in order to get a chance that something that can be granted to a multi-millionaire virtually upon the snapping of fingers. But the IIP agency suspended the contract of that businessman who bragged about his political contacts? Surely this shows that seriousness is the order of the day? It was certainly a welcome step, but let's not rely on French news agencies to bust any inconsistencies. It's best for them to be nipped in the bud. Do say: "Some extra cash from the global ultra-rich always comes in handy when channelled into the right sources through fully transparent procedures, but these procedures do need to remain transparent and under constant scrutiny" Don't say: "What's the deal with 'naturalised' citizens anyway?! Nature don't pay the bills... that's why we cut down trees." The Skinny 'Transitional zones' invading land outside development zones HAVE YOUR SAY (Phase 1) OPEN PUBLIC CONSULTATION Site at ex-Jerma Palace Hotel, Marsascala PLANNING AUTHORITY The Planning Authority has been guided by Government to prepare a Development Brief for the site of the ex-Jerma Palac e Hotel in Marsascala. This request falls in line with the requirements of the South Malta Local Plan (2006). For this purpose, the Authority is publishing for public consultation a number of objectives which will g u i d e t h e d r a f t i n g o f t h e development brief. The proposed objectives for the Development Brief calls for the d e s i g n a t i o n o f t h e s i t e a s a Comprehensive Planning Area for Regeneration of the Urban Coast. The brief should also promote the development of a mix of land uses a n d e n s u r e t h a t t h e o v e r a l l development density does not exceed 100,000 sqm. The proposed planning policy should a l s o i n c l u d e a n u r b a n d e s i g n framework and provide guidelines on t h e s i t e l a y o u t , a r c h i t e c t u r a l treatment, massing, colour, texture and materials of the buildings, circulation, road access, parking and landscaping requirements. The full proposed objectives and the map indicating the site area which will be effected by this review may be viewed on the Authority's website www.pa.org.mt/consultation Representations are to be made in writing and sent through e-mail address: smlp@pa.org.mt S u bm i s s i o n s o n t h e p r o p o s e d o b j e c t i v e s n e e d t o r e a c h t h e Authority by 11th November 2019. www.pa.org.mt Development Brief- South Malta Local Plan (2006) When ODZ is not ODZ: 2015 policy may lead to approval of ODZ development in Gozo Site being proposed for development