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MALTATODAY 28 August 2022

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5 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 AUGUST 2022 11-storey hotel set to rise near University JAMES DEBONO DEVELOPER Mark Agius, a business associate of construc- tion mogul Joseph Portelli, is asking for an extra floor on a re- cently-approved 10 storey-hotel, metres off the University of Mal- ta entrance. The 11-storey, three-star hotel is earmarked for the three-storey building that formerly housed the Mireva bookstore. Yet to be constructed, the hotel project was approved in two stages – in December 2019 when the Planning Authority's planning commission overruled a case officer's negative recom- mendation to reject the permit, and in May 2022 when the hotel area was further extended. The case officer had argued that the proposed hotel was in breach of the local plan and the policy on hotel heights. The local plan does not list hotels as an "acceptable use" for the area. And the Class-3B hotel would run counter to the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy For Hotels, which grants an additional two storeys over and above local plan limits if the resultant design features a "high-quality product in keeping with the urban context and no blank walls are created." The case officer insisted the hotel would create n exposed blank party walls and negatively impact the area's context, con- flicting with the Strategic Plan's aim to ensure that new devel- opments improve amenity and pleasantness of place. Din l-Art Ħelwa also objected to the "towering development in the very heart of this already densely built urban area," which it described as completely over- bearing on both the visual and social amenity of the existing context. But the planning commission then chaired by architect Simon Saliba overruled the case officer, arguing that there were similar commitments for other hotels in the area. The local plans zone the ar- ea for student accommodation, housing and additional stu- dent-related land uses including stationeries and bookshops and sets a height limit of four storeys and a semi-basement. But the same local plan allows one ex- tra storey for hotels, while a new policy on hotel heights alone ap- proved in 2014 allows another two floors. Planning guidelines from 2015 also translated this height into 28m, that is three metres higher than the hotel as approved in 2019. The case of- ficer insisted that although the hotel conformed to this limit, extra storeys can only be added if these respected the context of the area. Immediately following this first approval, Agius proceeded with an application to extend the ho- tel over a larger site, increasing the rooms to 72. Again the case officer said the development was in breach of the local plan, which excludes tourism devel- opment in this area. But in view of the PA's decision to approve the original application, the case officer had no choice but to rec- ommend the second application for approval. Now less than 3 years after the original approval, Agius is re- questing a permit for another floor. All three applications were presented by architect Maria Schembri Grima, who is regular- ly involved in projects proposed by Portelli's business empire while also serving as chairman of the state-appointed Build- ing and Construction Agency, which regulates the construc- tion sector. Joseph Portelli business associate proponent of hotel on former Mireva bookshop site, approved for two stages despite case officer's breach warning

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