Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1477650
9 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 31 AUGUST 2022 JAMES DEBONO A letter in which the Curia dropped objections to an un- sightly development engulfing the old Manikata chapel refers to "an understanding" reached with the developer. According to the letter sent by the Curia's architect on 28 June 2018, "the latest set of plans were considered to safeguard the Church's property and it's rights". The understanding was reached following amendments done by the applicant's architects on the proposed plans and elevations. The letter concludes that while still interested in the outcome of the application the Curia "find no objections to the current propos- al", while reserving the church's rights to change its position "if the plans change again and in- fringe the rights the church prop- erty currently enjoys". The Curia's letter was uploaded on the public information system in the past days following a re- quest by MaltaToday along with a 3D image of the proposed de- velopment which convinced the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage to also drop their initial objections. Ironically it was a photo pub- lished on the church's news por- tal Newsbook of the old Man- ikata chapel dwarfed by a new apartment block which caused outrage on social media. The photo originally accompa- nied a news piece announcing that the chapel will start being used again for religious functions after 50 years. But the photo, showing the sheer contrast between the diminutive rural chapel and the four-storey block of apartments rising next to it went viral with commentators questioning the role of the Planning Authority. Newsbook also picked on the outrage, publishing a second story a couple of days later, high- lighting the critical comments sparked by their photo. But it seems the church outlet missed the irony that back in 2018, when the building permit for the apart- ment block was being considered, the Curia had dropped its earlier objections to the development. In February 2018, the Curia had strongly objected to the devel- opment warning that the new building will "overpower" and "engulf" the chapel and the open space around it. The architect had also described the design as being "blank and dull." The church had warned the proposed development will be changing the nature of this tranquil area of the hamlet of Manikata and described the proposal as a "bad neighbourhood development". And while the plans were even- tually amended it remains un- clear how the changes actually address the over bearing visual impact on the chapel. The 3D visual which convinced the Superintendence MaltaToday also requested the PA to upload a 3D visual, which convinced the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage to drop its initial objections. The 3D visual of the finished building is similar to the develop- ment being constructed next to the chapel. A letter by project architect Jus- tin Spiteri accompanying the 3D visual refers to a meeting with the board of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage in which it was agreed "that much of the existing façade at ground floor will be re- tained (except for the proposed new openings in the façade), the old garage will be dismantled and that the 'kileb' and 'xorok' in one of the halls will be used in the common entrance at ground level". Subsequently the SCH referred to the 3D image concluding that "the proposed development will integrate and adapt the facades of the houses, while the proposed volumes are terraced so as to mit- igate visual impact on the chap- el". In issuing the permit, the PA did not need any clearance from the SCH or the Curia. But the case officer report refers to the "no objection" of the cultural heritage authority and the withdrawal of the curia's objection when ana- lysing the case history. The case officer had recom- mended approval of the new building, describing its design as one which is "harmonious to the context of the streetscape and relates to the overall archi- tectural design and details of the building".The development was approved by all three members of the Planning Commission then chaired by Elizabeth Ellul in Sep- tember 2018 in line with the case officer's favourable recommen- dation. The development is being carried out by Keith Grima a co-owner of Juke Developments Ltd along with Justin Spiteri who was also the architect. Writing in his blog AD chair- man Carmel Cacopardo has questioned the ethics of having an architect representing a de- veloper with whom he or she al- so shares a business relationship due a potential conflict between professional duties and pecuniary interests. The old Manikata chapel is ded- icated to St Joseph and was built in the 1920s to serve the small ru- ral community. A larger church, designed by renowned architect Richard England, was built be- tween 1964 and 1974 to accom- modate the needs of the growing community. Manikata chapel Curia dropped objection after 'reaching understanding' with developer The church's news portal Newsbook was the first to publish a photo of the old Manikata chapel dwarfed by a new apartment block In issuing the permit, the PA did not need any clearance from the SCH or the Curia. But the case officer report refers to the "no objection" of the cultural heritage authority and the withdrawal of the curia's objection when analysing the case history