Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527938
7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 16 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt PA set to refuse Hagar Qim restaurant make-over THE Planning Authority's Devel- opment Management Directo- rate is recommending the refusal of a proposed redevelopment of the Ħaġar Qim restaurant, citing its negative impact on the sur- rounding rural environment and the objections presented by the Superintendence of Cultural Her- itage (SCH), the National World Heritage Technical Committee (NWHTC), the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC), and Heritage Malta (HM). The final decision is set to be taken by the Planning Commis- sion in a meeting scheduled for 6 November. The application cites Maria Theresa Mallia, whose family had won a court eviction of the former restaurant operators in 2019, as the applicant. But some of the plans submitted by TBA periti, the architectural firm responsible for the project, refer to James Bar- bara, owner of James Caterers, as their client. The application seeks to demol- ish the existing restaurant, which has been in a state of disrepair, and replace it with a modern structure. While the new restaurant would retain a similar footprint, the pro- posal shifts the location of the res- taurant,resulting in an increase in volume at a higher level. Submitted drawings indicate an increase in the overall volume of the structure from that existing on site. Plans indicate the creation of a 450 sq.m outside dining area and an adjacent open area with seating benches. According to the case officer both the Environment and Re- sources Authority (ERA) and the Superintendence of Cultural Her- itage (SCH) had carried out vari- ous discussions with the project's architect throughout the process- ing of this application. While the Heritage watchdogs have kept objecting till the end, the Environment and Resources Authority has issued its condi- tional approval as long as any de- velopment is retained within the already approved footprint and a number of conditions like those limiting light pollution are abided to. Photomontages of the proposed development show the new res- taurant rising higher than Herit- age Malta's bulky visitor centre as seen from the road. The visitor centre itself had at- tracted its own fair share of criti- cism at the time when it was built in 2011. The proposed restaurant also includes large outdoor terraces, prompting concerns from several cultural and environmental au- thorities worried about increased light and noise pollution. Additionally, the SCH has not- ed that most of the mature trees currently screening the existing restaurant will be removed and replaced with new ones, which may be less effective in screening the building. Initially the project also in- cluded a 104 sq.m roof terrace which was later removed from the plans. The proposed mate- rials, such as copper alucobond cladding and travertine and large glazed apertures along the sides of the restaurant are seen as fur- ther exacerbating the visibility of the new structure, reducing the effectiveness of the existing nat- ural landscape as a visual buffer. A landscaping plan presented by the developers indicates that 38 of the existing 121 trees and shrubs will be retained on site while 174 new trees will be plant- ed. The project will also see the removal of a number of invasive shrubs grown in the restaurant grounds. The developers have also presented a plan to minimise light pollution in the area. Parking shortfall and traffic impact Studies also show that the devel- opment will result in a shortfall of 39 parking spaces required for the additional dining areas, which cannot be accommodated on site. Heritage Malta, which manag- es the Ħaġar Qim Visitor Centre, has confirmed that its parking fa- cilities, which include spaces for coach parking, cannot be used by patrons of the proposed res- taurant. These parking spaces are strictly reserved for visitors to the heritage site. Additionally, the increased traf- fic generated by the restaurant is expected to add to congestion in this sensitive archaeological ar- ea, further undermining the site's cultural and environmental value. Din l-Art Helwa whose former President Alex Torpiano is one of four senior partners in the ar- chitectural firm which drafted the plans, had also objected to the project in November 2022. An- other objection was submitted by Nature Trust. The final decision on the rede- velopment proposal is expected on November 6. However, given the significant concerns raised by key cultural heritage bodies, in- cluding the National World Her- itage Technical Committee, and the case officer's recommenda- tion for refusal, the project is un- likely to be approved. Project was being objected to by the National World Heritage Technical Committee, Heritage Malta and the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage over concerns on both its visual impact and increased traffic, light and noise pollution in the area Photomontage showing restaurant rising behind Heritage Malta's visitor centre and another montage showing increased visibility of restaurant from surrounding countryside