Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527863
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 It also goes counter to what the Prime Minister has been saying that local plans cannot be changed on a whim, the minister added. The Cabinet decision for a partial review of the North Har- bour local plan was first leaked to the Times of Malta last week, causing public backlash. "I was not surprised by the negative feedback because peo- ple are sceptical of our actions when it comes to develop- ment," the minister said. The proposed changes will facilitate a high-rise develop- ment proposed by Garnet In- vestments, a company owned by Anton Camilleri known as Tal-Franċiż and his son Adel- bert Camilleri. In 2018, the Camilleris ob- tained a planning permit to develop the Villa Rosa site and adjacent properties into a mixed-use development of low-lying buildings. The pro- ject never started and in 2022, Camilleri applied for a new permit that included high-rise buildings. The latest proposal is still to be decided by the Planning Au- thority. The Environmental Impact Assessment prepared by ER- SLI Consultants on behalf of Garnet Investments and pub- lished last year refers to local plan policies that limit building heights of hotels to six storeys and an overlying penthouse stepped down to two floors in the area adjacent to St George's Bay and the Villa Rosa gardens. However, the Villa Rosa pro- ject is also being proposed under the Height Limitation Adjustment Policy for Hotels, approved in 2014, which per- mits "standalone hotels" to rise above height limits. In this way, the two towers hosting the 789 serviced apartments will bene- fit from this policy. Piecemeal changes It would appear that the on- ly reason Abela is pushing for a change in the local plan is to stifle any potential legal chal- lenges based on the differenc- es between the parameters laid down in the local plan and the 2014 hotels policy. This of course raises the question as to whether plan- ning policies should change in a piecemeal fashion to accom- modate certain developers, a second Cabinet member said. The minister added: "Despite the local plans, according to existing policies the new high- rise Villa Rosa development can still take place, so why go out of our way to facilitate the developer and risk public back- lash?" But a third minister told MaltaToday the changes as explained to them would al- low the developer to go higher and thus freeing up more open space at ground level. "I believe the changes could be beneficial but government has a credibility problem and any- thing we do that benefits devel- opers is automatically viewed with suspicion, especially when we are not forthcoming with information on decisions like these," the minister said. Rowing in circles A fourth minister said they re- luctantly supported the Cabinet proposal because it was present- ed to them as a fait accompli. "The proposal was put forward by Clint Camilleri as planning minister but when you have the Prime Minister eulogising the benefits of the project you have to toe the line despite voicing your concern," they said. Nonetheless, the minister acknowledged the proposal to change the Villa Rosa local plan "sends the wrong message" at a time when the government is trying to prioritise quality of life issues. Yet another minister sarcas- tically commented: "It is true there will be a public consul- tation process because it is re- quired at law but we all know that someone drives the cart." They did not mince their words when asked how this decision reconciles with the 'greener' direction Abela has been pushing for in the wake of the June election outcome: "I don't think there is any direc- tion and that is the problem. We are rowing in circles." Impact on economy Consultants E-Cubed say the project will generate €74.8 million in value added with an overall economic impact of €116.4 million. Investment in construction over five years will cost over €305 million, but over the next 65 years, the internal rate of return (IRR) will be of 10.78%. The need for serviced apartments for longer-stay tourists, digital nomads and retirees, a specific niche, are built on future projections of 3 to 3.2 million tourists annual- ly, 24,000 of which will be hosted at Villa Rosa. Impact on the Palazzo The dominance of Palazzo Villa Rosa on the landscape will "be challenged by the presence of the two towers". Excavations next to it and the underground Ħarq Ħammiem cave will be planned and managed in ways designed to "protect the integrity of the building and features in question". Close attention will be needed to safeguard the integrity of the Palazzo and a tunnel under- neath the garden. The level of significance of the impact would vary from "insignificant to high" depending on the quality of construc- tion site management. Impact on cave The north-eastern corner of the Villa Rosa site is located close to the underground Għar Ħarq Ħammiem. But since the ceiling of the cave is located 23m below excava- tion level, the impact will be limited. EIA consultants recommended "a chainsaw cut to be made at the closest excavation line to introduce an air gap between the site to be excavated and the cave". Works in vicinity of the cave will be continuously monitored during the works. The EIA concludes that the level of significance of the impact on the cave "would vary from insignificant to high depending on the quality of construction site management." Construction waste Construction will take five years, with close to a year for demolition and excavation, which will generate 215,000cb.m of topsoil and limestone (lower coralline and lower globigerina), that is expected to be disposed in Anton Camilleri's own quarry for potential re-use. Daily car trips In the excavation phase, five construction vehicles will be entering and exiting the site every hour on each working day, resulting in a maximum of 160 inbound and outbound heavy vehicle trips per working day. This will drop to 80 trips when the first phase of the project is completed. On completion, an additional 2,214 car trips will be generated by the offices and hotels on a daily basis, 55% of which by private cars while 45% will be gen- erated by coaches, mini-buses, taxis, carpool- ing, and public transport. The development will include 1,365 parking spaces. What the Villa Rosa EIA says on… Ministers speak of a rudderless government Prime Minister who says one thing and does The proposed changes will facilitate a high-rise development proposed by Garnet Investments, a company owned by Anton Camilleri known as Tal-Franciz (inset) and his son Adelbert Camilleri