Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1515910
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 14 FEBRUARY 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Din l-Art Helwa appeals old people's home in Naxxar ODZ 13-storey tower proposed in Xemxija DIN l-Art Ħelwa is appealing against the Planning Board's approval of a three-story high old people's home with 60 beds in the countryside between Naxxar and Gharghur. The approved building will replace a long-abandoned one-storey poultry farm and the proposal was put forth by developer and Labour council- lor Marlon Brincat. The primary argument of the appeal, drafted by lawyer Claire Bonello and architect Tara Cassar, asserts that the proposed development vio- lates the local plan, which des- ignates the site as a Strategic Open Gap. According to this designa- tion, only "essential small- scale utility infrastructure" can be approved, and even in such cases, the scenic value of the area must be respect- ed. Despite this, the Planning Authority's board approved the development, which is ex- pected to significantly impact the rural landscape, even ob- scuring the Semaphore Tower from certain viewpoints. DLH also contends that the development contravenes the Strategic Plan for the Environ- ment and Development, the highest-ranking planning pol- icy, which permits residential homes in the ODZ only when "feasible alternatives" in urban areas are not available. The SPED views the use of ODZ land for such purposes as a "last resort." In fact, a site selection exer- cise conducted by the develop- er identified several sites with the necessary size and suitable connectivity to urban areas. However, these sites were ex- cluded for financial reasons, a factor not addressed in the SPED. Din l-Art Ħelwa also argues that rural policy only allows the redevelopment of existing ODZ buildings for other pur- poses when the replacement building will result in an envi- ronmental benefit. In this case, the Environmental and Re- sources Authority not only ob- jected to the development but also warned that it would have adverse effects on the visual amenity and character of the rural landscape. The e-NGO is also contest- ing the way the board imposed an "irregular" condition oblig- ing the Naxxar council which had voted against the project to sign a public deed with the developer related to unspeci- fied works to improve the road leading to the site. Permit issued by planning board in breach of policies protecting strategic open gaps A 13-storey development set to include 282 apartments is be- ing proposed on garigue land in Xemxija presently enclosed by residential development on three sides. The development will involve the excavation of 6,643sq.m of land fronting Triq il-Maqdes Neolitiku to accommodate an underground car park over two levels. Commercial development in- cluding restaurants and shops are being proposed at ground floor level while 282 apart- ments are being proposed on the overlying 12 floors. The application was present- ed by Tony Gauci on behalf of Chetgau Ltd a company owned by Yvette Chetcuti - spouse of former MDA chairman Sandro Chetcuti - and Francis Gauci. According to the plans, the new building will occupy near- ly half of the 14,000sq. site. The rest of the site is earmarked for a picnic area, and a kids play area. Part of the site is designated as an Area of Archaeological Importance due to the pres- ence of cart ruts. The submit- ted plans refer to archaeologi- cal ruins in the area which will be preserved. The company does not own the entire site but declared it has permission from the own- ers to develop the land. But six owners who claim owning half the land, have already contest- ed this declaration. They have denied giving consent to the development, and formally re- quested the Planning Author- ity to remove their land from the application. The development is being proposed a short distance away from another high-rise project being proposed by developer Charles Camilleri on the site of the former Corinthia Mistra village. The Camilleri development which includes 774 apartments was approved in breach of a policy which bans the erection of high-rise developments on ridges and the decision is cur- rently being reviewed by the Environment and Planning Tribunal after it was revoked by the law courts. The site has already been excavated despite the pending appeal. If approved, the two develop- ments are bound to exacerbate traffic problems in the area particularly, on the rounda- bout at the top of Xemxija Hill. In 2013, Transport Malta had already warned that the road is already straining to cope with the existing flow of traffic. Any alternative bypass would po- tentially have a huge impact on the protected rural environ- ment in the north of Malta. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Photomontage showing the existing property (top) and how the project will look once completed (above)