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MaltaToday 23 November 2022 MIDWEEK

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8 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 NOVEMBER 2022 JAMES DEBONO PLANS submitted by the owners of the Dolmen hotel to upgrade the Amazonia resort foresee the construction of a new prome- nade level where two new kiosks with outside tables are also be- ing proposed on top of two pool deck levels. The project has "potential" to improve the character of the area by introducing a new open space "providing" views of San Pawl il-Baħar from the prom- enade, according to a project development statement (PDS) carried out by environmental consultants ADI on behalf of the Dolmen Hotel which is owned by the Tumas Group. "However, the proposed in- crease in the height of the Scheme and the establishment of a promenade level catering facility will impact the landscape and visual amenity of the prom- enade in breach of the North West Local Plan policies," the same report states. In fact, the local plan approved in 2006 limits the height of any extension to coastal develop- ments in the area to one which does not "exceed the height of any existing legal structure within the site". Moreover, any increase in "solid structures" on the promenade is ruled out to ensure that views onto the bay are not obstructed. A s proposed the complex will have a footprint of 3,900 sq.m, the same as the present develop- ment. The Amazonia complex is lo- cated on foreshore between the Bugibba perched beach and the Dolmen resort. It includes two swimming pools with terraces and pool decks, a covered out- door restaurant, water sports facilities, a hall and a bar/club. The complex is linked to the ho- tel through an underground pas- sage beneath Dawret Il-Gżejjer. The proposal envisages the creation of three different lev- els. The promenade level will include two kiosks with outside tables, a lift structure, and a pub- lic open space beyond the public kerb. Two restaurants with indoor and outdoor areas, a water sports area and a pool deck are being proposed on a second low- er level beneath the promenade pavement area. A third level located below the restaurants will include show- ers, toilets, changing rooms, a 60 sq.m children's pool and a mas- sive 370 sq.m adults' pool. As proposed the area for pool decks will increase from the current 360 sq.m to 1,960 sq.m. Tumas Group's Dolmen proposes makeover of Amazonia resort Proposal foresees two new kiosks with outside tables on a new promenade level with views of St Paul's Bay but development could be in breach of local plan policies limiting the height of new buildings along promenade Recycling of paper, metal, glass and bio-waste to become mandatory JAMES DEBONO LEGAL amendments to waste regulations foresee the introduction of a yet to be es- tablished cut-off date for substituting the black bag for mixed waste with a transpar- ent one. This change is intended to improve en- forcement in a sector in which Malta lags far behind EU targets, recycling less then 20% of its household waste far less than the mandatory 50%. Another legal notice issued for public consultation will make it mandatory on everyone to separate paper, metal, glass, bio-waste and any other waste stream to be determined by the government in the future. Households who fail to separate their waste will be first warned on the first rep- rimand and then will be liable to a €25 fine on the second infringement and will be fined €50 for every subsequent contra- vention. Businesses will be liable to a max- imum fine of €150 from the third contra- vention onwards. This obligation to separate waste will apply to everyone, including households, businesses and government buildings, re- gardless of whether waste is generated at home, at work, or in public places. As re- gards waste generated in public places (at beaches, walking in the streets, etc), this new obligation will apply where relevant bins for the separate collection are so avail- able to the public. This means that disposing these materi- als in the mixed waste bag will be illegal. But enforcement is currently difficult in view of the dumping of mixed waste in to the black bag. It remains unclear how gov- ernment officials will be able to identify the ownership of mixed-use bags containing the wrong material. The proposal is in line with a long-term waste management plan issued by the en- vironment ministry in 2020 according to which waste bags should be standardized with see-through material that will enable swifter enforcement action for those mon- itoring waste separation. The plan also foresaw a higher cost on black bags, to ensure that businesses and households that embark upon separation at source will bear a lower cost of waste man- agement than those who are more careless. But to avoid any hardship on low-income families, the plan the distribution of a number of free bags to households. Black rubbish bags to be substituted by transparent ones

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