Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514570
2 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 JANUARY 2024 2 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The photomontages show the visual impact of a project refur- bishment project that foresees the erection of a pitched roof structure to create a space for commercial activity underneath it. The Superintendence noted a significant change in the propos- al that raises the already existing pitched roof to create "a viable space beneath it". While not dismissing "the ar- chitectural and aesthetic quali- ty of this proposal", the cultural heritage watchdog warned that the significant increase in the proposed height of the building, "will inevitably impact the view of this significant urban envi- ronment" which would even im- pact on perception of the parish church. To minimise this impact the Superintendence is calling for the lowering of the proposed roof so as "not to exceed the ex- isting height and volume," and has asked the proponents to "re- work the proposal at roof level". In August, the SCH had asked for clarifications on how the roof structure will be restored after a site inspection showed that the structure may be corrugated with asbestos sheeting. Moreover, the SCH is also in- sisting on the the preservation of the projection room which still includes equipment and related paraphernalia used in the old cinema. But while expressing concern on the height of the project the SCH has deemed the proposed treatment of the facade as ac- ceptable. The proposed rooftop 'multi- purpose venue' being proposed on top of the Rialto has raised concern among neighbouring residents, who fear they will be exposed to noise from parties and weddings. According to the submitted plans, the new venue will have an additional floor covered by a restored steel frame which al- ready tops the building. 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 remaining 10%. Plans submitted by Rialto Operations Ltd, foresee the res- toration of the existing theatre and cinema, a new theatre with catering facilities, an intercon- nected social club, and a bou- tique hotel linked to an adjacent townhouse. When contacted last year and asked about residents' concerns Gouder referred to the "substan- tial investment" that the compa- ny 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," Gouder had said. Moreover, apart from the re- stored theatre, the Rialto will also "host different activities and uses best suited to different seasons." 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." Photomontage showing a view of the existing Rialto (top) and how the proposed pitched roof structure would look Heritage watchdog wants proposed Rialto roof lowered, but deems plans for facade 'acceptable' MALTA registered a 5.7% increase in the number of registered births, as 2023 welcomed 4,204 babies born in Malta. Identità, the agency that administers the public registry, said this repre- sents an increase of 226 babies when compared to the previous year. From the total number of births, 2,162 of them were boys, while girls made up the remaining 2,042. The agency formerly known as Iden- tity Malta noted that among the most popular names for boys were Mat- teo, Noah, Luca and Jack, while the most popular girl names were Em- ma, Valentina, Julia and Nina. For the second consecutive year, Ġanni and Luċija were the most popular names. In 2023, 3,915 deaths were also re- ported, with 1,943 of them being men while 1,972 were women. This marks a 3.5% increase of deaths when com- pared to 2022, as the increase trans- lates to 132 more deaths. Interestingly, female deaths rose by 136 women when compared to the previous year, while male deaths in- creased by four. According to Identità, 2,036 mar- riages were registered in 2023, mark- ing a decrease of 201 when compared to the previous year. No civil unions were recorded. Meanwhile, there were 36 cases of cohabitation compared to the 31 reg- istered in 2022. In total, the Public Registry issued 68,987 certificates ranging from birth, death, marriage and civil union certif- icates. From these, 57% (39,217) were processed online, while 29,770 were processed in the Public Registry's of- fice in Marsa. 52 of the certificates were for cohabitation. Identità CEO Mark Mallia said all the agency's digital services are now protected by two-factor-authentica- tion, ensuring that its clients have the necessary peace of mind when dealing with sensitive personal documents. Ganni and Lucija most popular baby names in 2023