Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1508764
11 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 OCTOBER 2023 Qormi urban farmland earmarked for flats JAMES DEBONO A stretch of urban farmland in Qormi is slated for the develop- ment of 49 flats over five floors by Silvan Fenech, a director of Tum Invest. The planning application covers a site that sprawls over 2,000sq.m in the corner be- tween Triq ix-Xitwa and Triq il-Helsien. Application architect Alex- ander Bigeni refers to the site as a "vacant plot" even though it consists of agricultural land. He also states that no trees will be felled as a result of excava- tion and construction works. However, plans submitted to the PA indicate that several trees, including two very large Ficus trees will be eradicated. None of the trees in question enjoy any degree of protection. The area also includes several vernacular structures including a farmhouse called L-Ghorfa. The area is designated in the local plan for residential de- velopment consisting of three floors and a semi basement which over the past years has been interpreted to correspond to a metric height of 17.5m in which developers often fit four floors and a penthouse level. In the application Fenech de- clares that he does not own the site but has been granted con- sent by the owners to apply for the proposed development. No previous applications were ever presented on the site. The site earmarked for the five-storey block faces another undeveloped plot along Triq id-Dragun. The Planning Au- thority is currently assessing a zoning application presented by Ray Fenech's A&A proper- ties to change the street align- ment on both sides of Triq il-Helsien and Triq id-Dragun and the creation of a pavement on land outside the present alignment. In 2022, Transport Malta had objected to the proposed nar- rowing of Triq ix-Xitwa and changes in the junction be- tween Triq id-Dragun and Triq il-Helsien due to the impact on cars manoeuvring at the bend. New plans were presented in the past days.