Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1398811
8 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 4 AUGUST 2021 PA set to approve cul-de-sac to service new villas in Mellieha woodland JAMES DEBONO A case officer's report is rec- ommending the approval of a zoning application proposing a cul-de-sac, to make way for six new bungalows on 7,500sq.m of woodland in one of the last un- developed areas in Santa Marija Estate. Yet the fate of the trees, in- cluding over 50-year-old Ballut tree, remains unclear because in recommending approval, the case officer recommends avoiding or minimising the up- rooting of the trees. Wwhile the north-west local plan of 2006 earmarked the site and its surroundings for residential development, being within the development zone, it has been an 'area of ecolog- ical importance' since 1996, containing a number of mature trees and part of a protected watercourse passing through the valley. This contradiction is also found in the case officer's re- port which acknowledges that the zoning will result in the felling of mature trees, while recommending that when ac- tual permits are issued steps be taken to integrate the trees in the development. The Environment and Re- sources Authority has al- ready warned about the pres- ence of trees protected by Trees and Woodlands Pro- tection Regulations, and rec- ommended that "as much as possible, the uprooting of trees should be avoided; and plans should try to integrate these trees into the proposed designs". The case officer is recom- mending that an environmen- tal permit be obtained from ERA before the start of con- struction works and excava- tions, and prior to any inter- vention on the protected trees. The case officer claims the proposal is unlikely to consti- tute a negative visual impact on- to the surroundings. However particular attention is to be tak- en "to minimize the uprooting of trees while plans for eventual development on site should try to integrate these trees into the proposed designs". It remains unclear how the uprooting of trees can be avoided when plans show that the proposed cul de sac and the proposed villas will be locat- ed on the existing woodland. The zoning application was presented by Suzanne Grima's Gx4 Projects Limited. The PA's executive council is set to take a decision on 31 August. JAMES DEBONO IN a decision which sets a precedent for al fresco dining in public open spaces created around high-rise buildings, the Environ- ment and Planning Tribunal has issued a permit for chairs and tables in the roofed open space next to Café Pascucci in the 14 East high-rise development in Gzira. But this was limited to a single row im- mediately along the coffee shop's perime- ter and not over the entire roofed square. Originally DIZZ group had requested a 160sq.m area for its chairs and tables occu- pying most of the roofed public space set between the columns and planters defin- ing the roofed open space and the 60sq.m commercial establishment itself. When permitting was requested for the "roofed" open space to become Pascucci's space, the PA refused, saying it detracted the quality of the open space and failed to keep a 1.5m passageway for pedestrians. In its decision, the tribunal upheld the reasons given by the Planning Authority to turn down the permit but noted that the DIZZ group was willing to discuss the ex- tent of the chairs and tables area. So in its decision the Tribunal has pro- posed a solution which leaves a pedestrian passage of around five metres between the columns defining the roofed open space of the high rise and the coffee shop's chairs and tables which have been restricted to the perimeter of the coffee shop. The PA's floor area ratio (FAR) poli- cy says tall buildings must provide "high quality, public open space" within the site, not less than 50% of the area proper, and must also be deemed a planning gain for the community. For 14 East's three-sided area, its 890sq.m of open space has some 195sq.m of it roofed. But this particular area's use was never de- termined when the tower was approved back in 2015. The Tribunal also noted that the roofless open spaces around the tower are narrower than the roofed area. DIZZ had appealed the original deci- sion, claiming it sets a precedent against al fresco tables and chairs in high-rise open spaces. It even argued that "FAR public spaces" are being seen differently to historically public and scheduled piazzas like Pjazza Regina in Valletta. "[Chairs and tables offer] a positive contribution to street life [and] draw people in the area." Now DIZZ has been given thirty days to come up with new plans for a single row of chairs and tables. Dizz group gets permit to erect tables and chairs in Gzira tower's public open space Woodland earmarked for residential development in local plan had been designated as an Area of Ecological importance in 1996