Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1405706
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 AUGUST 2021 NEWS Expression/s of interest from publishers and authors for the production and publication of original teaching and learning material in Maltese including literacy toolkits, high interest/low readability books, flashcards, posters, eBooks, apps etc. to sustain the National Literacy Strategy of the Ministry for Education. The chosen projects will be sponsored by the National Literacy Agency up to €2,500. Ap plicable conditions will be established by agreement between the Agency and the publishers and/or authors. The Agency reserves the right to refuse any proposal for sponsorship if the project submitted does not satisfy the Agency. Each proposal will be evaluated on its own merit. Submissions will be accepted until 30th September 2021 and they should be sent to by email to john.b.farrugia@gov.mt or by post to Mr John Farrugia, Executive Secretary, The National Literacy Agency National Curriculum Centre, Joseph Abela Scolaro Street, Il-Ħamrun HMR1304, Malta. Expression of Interest Production of Literacy Resources in Maltese JAMES DEBONO A five-storey block consisting of nine apartments, two pent- houses with two pools and eight garages, is being proposed in- stead of a vernacular building in the vicinity of the San Silvestru windmill in the ta' Mellu area of Mosta. The development, proposed inside the buffer that protects the Grade-1 scheduled San Sil- vestru windmill, is located just 22m away from the windmill. But the farmhouse earmarked for demolition is in a relative- ly good state of preservation and according to the Superin- tendence for Cultural Heritage, deemed to have a degree of ar- chitectural and cultural heritage value. The SCH has also expressed its concern that the planning appli- cation was lodged in the form of a summary application, the sys- tem introduced by the Labour administration in 2016 to fast- track applications for apartment blocks of less than 16 units when these are within the building zones and outside urban conser- vation areas. Summary procedures can allow permits to be issued within six weeks, with public consultation periods reduced from three to two weeks. But a circular introduced by environment minister Aaron Farrugia in 2020 requires that any application within the buff- er zones of scheduled buildings, has to be submitted to a more stringent process and consulta- tion with the SCH. Since the application is still at vetting stage, the PA can still refer the application to the full permitting process, instead of the summary process requested by the developer. The Superintendence further expressed concern at the pro- posed total demolition of the vernacular farmhouse, noting that very limited drawings and photographs were presented for assessment. The Superintend- ence called for the application to be referred for full process to ensure more "engagement" with the developer. The SCH also expressed con- cern at the intensity and design of the proposed development. "Such a proposal does not re- spect the values of the existing building and contributes to the ongoing insensitive redefinition of the streetscape." Noting that the building is located within a mixed streetscape, affected by recent permits and contempo- rary development, the vernacu- lar building still gives "a degree of legibility to the street." In 2019 the PA approved a zon- ing application to allow five-sto- rey development on 36,000sq.m of land that had been included in the infamous 2006 building zones extension. The proposed development will include two public open spaces, together amounting to 1,839sq.m; while 22,000sq.m will be developed and the rest of the site will be taken up by roads and front gar- dens. The PA is also considering another zoning application on 40,000sq.m of agricultural land that separates Mosta from the Durumblat Road in Attard, known as tad-Dib also added to development boundaries in 2006. In this way Mosta is facing an onslaught both because of the "rationalisation exercise" carried out by the PN administration on the building zones, and planning reforms facilitating the devel- opment of five-storey blocks in every nook and cranny, by the present Labour administration. The government recently an- nounced plans for a public gar- den on a 4,000 square metre government owned field in Mo- sta where the fugitive murderer Ċikku Fenech ta' Vanġiela once lived. Cultural Heritage watchdog objects to demolition of farmhouse and attempt to push through development through summary procedure Mosta windmill: five-storey block targets farmhouse BUONAMICO AWARD 2021 Call for Nomina ons The Environment and Resources Authority is launching a call for nomina ons for the Buonamico Award 2021. This award honours those whose ac ons and achievements benefited our biodiversity and the environment. If you know an individual or en ty deserving of such an award, we kindly ask you to put forward your nomina on for this year's award. For further informa on on the award and how to submit a nomina on call on 2292 3500 or visit era.org.mt Deadline for submission is 5 th September 2021.