Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1393937
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 JULY 2021 NEWS Hexagon House, Spencer Hill, Marsa. Date: Wednesday, 28th July 2021 Venue: Online via Microso Teams Time: 11:00hrs – 13:00hrs PUBLIC CONSULTATION MEETING MARINE PROTECTED AREAS The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) invites you to an online public meeting on the Conservation Objectives & Measures for Malta's Marine Protected Areas. Should you be interested to participate in this online meeting, you are kindly requested to register through the QR code by not later than Monday 26th July 2021. For further information visit ERA's website - era.org.mt MAT THEW VELLA THE gaping hole on Testafer- rata Street in Gżira where one of the island's tallest high-rise buildings was slated to be con- structed, was held up over wor- ries that its architectural plans had been partly plagiarised. The allegation was made in a court case filed by Metrop- olis Developments, owned by the Libyan entrepreneur Galal Ibrahim Husni Bey, against the Dutch firm Erick van Egeraat Beheer BV. The firm however claimed its plans for the 33-storey high- rise had to be paid for, nothing short of €1.54 million for the vision it presented in a design competition which it had won. The court however found that despite having won this design contest, no agreement was ever signed between the two parties on the acceptance of the plans. Erick van Egeraat had origi- nally secured a court order to safeguard his rights in 2017, after negotiations broke down on the prospective plans with Metropolis. According to the site's owners, even though the jury had selected Van Egeraat's work for the Metrop- olis Skygardens project, it had pointed out elements of plagia- rism and called on Van Egeraat to address the matter so that no outstanding issue on pro- prietary rights could surface. In the ensuing discussions be- tween both sides, Van Egeraat was said to have objected to the accusation of plagiarism and in February 2017, he ob- tained a court privilege for €1.54 million for architectur- al consultancy fees. But on 24 May 2017, the Swiss architec- tural firm Herzog & Demeuron informed Metropolis Develop- ments that its high-rise plans were similar to those of the Beirut Terraces, in Lebanon, and that it would contest the use of the design in court. After Metropolis sued Van Egeraat to challenge the spe- cial privilege, a Maltese court ruled for the revocation of the Dutch architect's claim. The permit for the 33-storey Metropolis in Gzira has been extended to 2023 despite expir- ing in September 2020, thanks to planning rules allowing the extension of permits through- out the COVID-19 pandemic. The blanket three-year ex- tension was granted by the Planning Authority in March 2020 because of the stagna- tion caused by the pandemic, prolonging the life of almost 20,000 development permits. The excavated hole on some 6,000sq.m of Testaferrata Street remains at a depth of three to four storeys, for a pro- spective 500-space car park. Originally, a 2009 permit al- lowed three towers of 13, 27 and 33 floors over a public pi- azza connecting Triq Enrico Mizzi and Triq Testaferrata. The development was to in- clude 191 residential units, a health club, offices, retail out- lets, a supermarket, and an un- derground car park. The five-year permit was re- newed in November 2013, and in November 2014 the PA al- lowed an increase in parking spaces, as well as increased office space from 4,600sq.m to 7,815sq.m, and to decrease the number of apartments to 110. The permit also included a helipad on one roof, and a communal outdoor swimming pool and deck area on the roof of another tower. mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Metropolis design 'plagiarised', court cancels €1.5 million claim The Metropolis Skygarden design: to the left, the design contest-winning proposal of Dutch architects Erick van Egeraat Beheer BV and right, the Herzog & Demeuron design for Beirut Terraces Metropolis developers win revocation of €1.5 million special privilege brought by Dutch architects who won original design contest