Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503089
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 5 JULY 2023 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 According to the submitted plans the new venue will con- sist of an additional floor cov- ered by a restored steel frame which already tops the build- ing. The additional floor will also include a kitchen, a cold-room and the breakfast area of a ho- tel which is included in the project. The Rialto is owned by the La- bour Party, which intends leas- ing it out to a private company following a call for expressions of interest. The party has so far made no announcement on the selected bidder but a planning applica- tion for the site has been sub- mitted by Rialto Operations Ltd, a joint venture between GP Borg Holdings, a ready- mix concrete supplier, that owns 90%, and lawyer Charlon Gouder, who owns the remain- ing 10%. Contacted by MaltaToday and asked how his company intends to address residents' concerns Gouder replied that commercial operations on the roof of the theatre "will be following procedures and spe- cific permit issued by the rel- evant authorities, as happens on other sites including other historical buildings in Cotton- era which already exist and are run on a commercial model." Gouder added that the space on the rooftop will "among other things serve as a space from which one can enjoy the best views of Cottonera and its surroundings." Plans submitted by Rialto Operations Ltd, foresee the restoration of the existing the- atre and cinema, a new theatre with catering facilities, an in- terconnected social club, and a boutique hotel linked to an adjacent townhouse. But the most controversial aspect of the plan has been the proposed addition of a new floor atop the building, which will be used as a "multipurpose venue". The PL had issued a call for expressions of interest for the lease of the building in 2021. In his reply Gouder also re- ferred to the "substantial in- vestment" that the company will be making in restoring the "majestic building" which has been neglected for a long time. "This investment will be based on a long-term vision for the Rialto, for the neighbour- ing community and the local artistic community, offering the best facilities and the most modern technology". Moreover, apart from the re- stored theatre, the Rialto will also "host different activities and uses best suited to differ- ent seasons." Residents fear noise But not all residents have been won over by the new company's vision. In fact, near- ly 100 objections mostly from residents, have been submitted to the application. One of the residents objected to what he described as plans to turn the Rialto into "a space where events are held on the roof". "The Three Cities should be preserved and protected for future generations and not turned into an entertainment centre. We are already read- ing what Valletta residents are suffering from because regula- tions are not being adhered to". Another objector warned that 'multi-purpose facilities' could result in the hosting of events, concerts, and social gatherings, with a great likelihood of "in- creased noise levels and am- plified sound pollution" which "would greatly disrupt the tranquillity of the surrounding residential areas, affecting the quality of life for residents and potentially causing significant discomfort". In order to illustrate their concerns regarding noise dis- turbance, on 25 June, envi- ronmental NGO Flimkien Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar resorted to a brief 'sound protest' by in- stalling speakers on a rooftop alongside the Rialto Theatre, at approximately the same height. Wedding music was transmit- ted between 5pm and 5:30pm from two speakers, measuring an average count of 87dB. The organisation also meas- ured the noise levels in differ- ent parts of Bormla including the footbridge leading to AUM were a measurement of 72dB- the equivalent of noise from a washing machine, was regis- tered. FAA claims that the sound protest yielded a strong re- sponse from the surrounding community, with numerous complaints being made to the police. As agreed with the po- lice prior to the protest, the music was stopped immediate- ly. FAA claims that due to prox- imity to the houses surround- ing the Rialto, noise will reso- nate from the proposed roof level multi-purpose venue. "We prefer to call a spade a spade: the multi-purpose ven- ue is in fact a wedding recep- tion venue. Any number of bedrooms behind the Rialto all the way up to the highest point of the city will experience un- acceptable levels of noise and disturbance with every new wedding, party or event to be hosted on that roof level". According to FAA residents are already incensed by events regularly held on the roof-top of the Cugó Gran Macina in Is- la, "where the party sounds are dispersed across Bormla when- ever an entertainment event takes place." FAA even produced video ev- idence documenting the noise from a wedding reception held during the evening on the same day of the sound protest and claims that the police were inundated with further angry calls calling for the noise dis- turbance to be stopped imme- diately while noting that the Macina roof lies just 380m away from the Rialto roof. FAA has warned that "if this application were to be ap- proved, it will allow no peace and quiet in approximately 300 or 400 bedrooms around the Rialto", adding this will become a "nightmarish echo-chamber". This is because of the topo- graphical position of the Rial- to which lies in the centre of the Bormla village core, at the lowest point of the town. "The majority of Bormla steps up around that, in the shape of an amphitheatre". But the Environment and Re- sources Authority has already issued the clearance for the development without ordering any noise studies. Noting the site context ERA envisages "no major environ- mental concerns" from the proposal. Additional Rialto floor will be covered by a restored steel frame A planning application for the Rialto site has been submitted by Rialto Operations Ltd, a joint venture between GP Borg Holdings, a ready-mix concrete supplier, that owns 90%, and lawyer Charlon Gouder (inset), who owns the remaining 10%