06.02.2020
16
TOWNSCAPES
PA Board refuses proposed
Pietà hotel application
THE Planning Board has turned
down a planning application for the
proposed development of a four-star
hotel along the Pieta Seafront.
The Board noted that the proposed
development will negatively impact
the sensitive historical buildings in
the vicinity of the site most promi-
nently the scheduled Villa Frere and
its gardens and St. Luke's Hospital.
The Board also noted that the scale,
volume and massing of the hotel
building will dominate the environs
and compromise the historical resi-
dential townscape of Pieta.
The hotel was proposed to be built
instead of a cluster of houses located
along Triq ix-Xatt in Pieta, facing the
historic bastions of Floriana.
One of the houses is scheduled as
a Grade 2 building, while one of the
other houses leads onto Giardino
Zammitello which is a large histori-
cal garden and is part of the proposed
site.
Following consultation with various
entities, the application got revised to
include the restoration and preserva-
tion of Giardino Zammitello, which
garden is divided into two sections;
the 'Giardino Chiuso' and the larger
garden area.
The proposed development was to
include 149 bedrooms, ancillary ar-
eas, an underground multi-level car
park, offices, a restaurant, a business
centre, a spa and gym and an outdoor
pool.
The application got revised
to include the restoration
and preservation of Giardino
Zammitello, which garden
is divided into two sections;
the 'Giardino Chiuso' and the
larger garden area
'Scale and massing of proposed building along Pietà seafront too imposing'
