Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1483693
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 9 NOVEMBER 2022 JAMES DEBONO DEVELOPMENTS of up to 35 meters (the equivalent of around 10 floors) on a site in Mriehel fac- ing Mdina Road may soon be ap- proved through the fast-tracked Development Notification (DNO) procedure instead of requiring a full planning permit. A legal notice issued for pub- lic consultation last week sets a height limitation of between 28 and 35 meters for developments which can be approved through a DNO on the site previously occu- pied by the Dowty factory which has been demolished and relocat- ed. The site includes the Busy Bee outlet and the surrounding area. Most of the site which is gov- ernment owned is presently aban- doned following demolition of the Dowty factory. The site is administrated by IN- DIS Malta Limited which is re- sponsible for the administration of the government-owned indus- trial parks and related facilities. The same legal notice identifies a building height of 15 to 21 meters on a nearby site along Triq is-Sal- ib, presently used as a car park. The car park site was previously identified for a 17-storey develop- ment in an application submitted and later withdrawn by INDIS predecessor namely Malta Indus- trial Parks. The same 15 to 21 me- ters limit is also being proposed for the site of the Methode factory and that around the Consolidated Biscuits factory. The area in question is designat- ed for both industrial uses and for commercial and financial activi- ties. Through these changes any de- velopment on these sites not sur- passing t this height limitation can be approved through the Devel- opment Notification Order pro- cedure, a fast-tracked planning procedure applying to both mi- nor developments in residential dwellings and also to larger devel- opments in specific sites like the airport, sites administrated by the army and police force and govern- ment owned industrial sites. A partial revision of local plans approved in 2021 had already re- moved a building height limita- tion of 14m for the INDIS Estate in Imriehel, in favor of a "non-nu- meric, urban design policies to guide the assessment of building heights" in this area. These pol- icies included "consideration to the site surroundings, the context of any scheduled buildings in the vicinity, as well as long distance views". This means that although the development can be approved through a notification procedure, it will still have to abide to certain criteria. Moreover, the latest changes reintroduce a height limit for ap- plications which can be approved through the DNO system but one which is considerably higher than that imposed before 2021. The proposed legal notice al- so foresees new building heights within the INDIS industrial estate in Marsa where heights range be- tween 15 and 28 meters. In San Gwann a new site along Triq San Giljan has been added to the area where 28 high meter development can be approved through DNO procedure. Development within these gov- ernment owned industrial sites only need to be notified, provided they conform to the applicable height limitations. During the public consultation on the re- moval of height limitation on MIP sites Din l-Art Helwa had warned that the removal of height limita- tions, meant that "any develop- ment within Mriehel MIP could proceed without consideration by any authority". But the PA replied that "urban design parameters" will still need to be addressed dur- ing the assessment of applications on these sites. Factories to rise to 35 metres on former Dowty site in Mriehel A draft legal notice foresees the approval of 35 meter high industrial and commercial development on derilict site next to Busy Bee outletm through fast tracked Development Notification Order