Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1501675
NEWS 16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 JUNE 2023 JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority has dropped initial objections to rebuild a dilapidat- ed and disused building into an eight-room guesthouse in the pic- turesque Kuncizzjoni area outside Rabat. The ERA has now concluded the project will be confined to an already levelled portion of land, which had been permitted back in the 1980s, and even improve upon the current situation. The property lies within a sched- uled area of High Landscape Val- ue, close to the Victoria Lines along the ridge. Its proponent is Mic Entertainment, whose owner Wigi Micallef also owns the Green Supplier Garden Centre. The abandoned building had been approved as a poultry farm in 1980 but later converted into a restaurant with guest rooms in 1992. Yet two of these rooms and a roofed corridor were not covered by these permits. The restaurant's license, issued by the Malta Tour- ism Authority, expired in 2017. The main building will now house a reception area, restaurant, as well as basement, and a sepa- rate building will house the eight guest rooms, each with a private pool and terrace. Back in March the ERA was con- cerned that the proposal would lead to an intensification of urban development, negatively impact- ing the rural character of the site and potentially creating future de- velopment pressures in the sensi- tive area. After engaging in discussions with the applicant and the archi- tect during a site meeting in Aoril, ERA found the project would not extend beyond the permitted area, and that an existing infill zone of material, would be removed. Plans for a rainwater reservoir were also viewed favourably by the ERA, despite noting a poten- tial risk to protected flora and fauna in the vicinity. The existing building will also have an inward retraction, apart from a reduc- tion in boundary walls and reused stone masonry. ERA emphasised the need for minimised noise and light pollu- tion once the guesthouse is oper- ational, requesting further clarifi- cation. No additional land will be required for parking and access, as confirmed during discussions with the applicant. Considering the site's proxim- ity to the Victoria Lines and the presence of a cave on the premis- es, ERA advised the developers to consult with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) to en- sure the preservation of the cave within the site. The developers claim the pro- ject is based on the principles of "sustainability and self-sufficien- cy", and that their "high-end" res- taurant will offer guests a unique culinary experience with produce grown on-site, even aiming for Michelin-star glory. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Kuncizzjoni guesthouse dreams of Michelin glory Abandoned poultry farm turned into restaurant gets approval from environmental watchdog