Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1531843
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 JANUARY 2025 NEWS LOCAL plans approved in 2006 state that development on the Jer- ma site should be mostly for tour- ism, while a development brief from 2021 designated 51% of the site for tourism-related projects. However, plans submitted in December revealed a notable blurring of the lines between res- idential and touristic uses, with over three-quarters of the area designated for tourism being tak- en up by 'serviced apartments'. Serviced apartments typical- ly refer to fully furnished apart- ments rented on a short-term basis, offering amenities for daily use, housekeeping, and a range of other services, all included in the rental price. These apartments are increas- ingly being proposed in major development projects, including the approved Townsquare project in Sliema (234 units), the still-to- be-approved Westin Dragonara project (145 units), and the Villa Rosa project in St. George's Bay as proposed in 2022 (789 units). Villas proposed in Ħal Ferħ and neighbouring hotels will also ser- vice Comino. The latest plans for two large eight-storey blocks proposed to replace the Jerma hotel largely align with the development brief approved in 2021, which limited the total floor area to 65,000 sq.m and allocated 51% of it to tourism development. Even so, a significant portion of the area under the tourism catego- ry would be taken up by serviced apartments, which alone would account for 39% of the entire pro- ject and 77% of the area allocated for tourism-related development. These details emerged from a plan presented in December by Jerma Development Limit- ed, a company owned by Joseph Portelli's Excel Investments, Geoffrey and Peter Montebello, and Charles Camilleri's Delbrade Limited. The breakdown of floor space by use showed that the proposed ho- tel in the north block would occu- py 7,673 sq.m of floor space. A fur- ther 26,104 sq.m would be taken up by fully residential apartments located in both blocks. The development brief approved in 2021 limited residential de- velopment on the Jerma site to a gross floor area of 26,000 sq.m, tourism development to 33,000 sq.m, and commercial develop- ment to 6,000 sq.m. In contrast, the brief does not clearly define "tourism develop- ment" and does not refer to the development of serviced apart- ments. The latest plans for the Jerma development represent a scaling down from the 72,878 sq.m of floor space proposed in a project description statement presented in 2023, which included 29,720 sq.m for fully residential apart- ments, marking a clear departure from the development brief. The local plan approved in 2006 zoned the area for "mainly" tourist accommodation but left room for residential development, stating that residential and commercial uses could be considered under an approved development brief set- ting parameters for planning. The project would consist of two wings separated by a corridor meant to restore the "visual link between the historic tower and the sea," as the development brief dictated. An underground car park is al- so being proposed. Moreover, the fully residential apartments would enjoy the best views, facing the sea directly, while the serviced apartments would be built imme- diately behind them, facing the historic fort. The project would also include retail shops in the south wing and food and beverage establishments in both wings at ground floor level. An Environmental Impact As- sessment on the Jerma project is still pending, but its publication is expected shortly. The Environ- ment and Resources Authority will then assess the results of the EIA before the Planning Authori- ty makes a final decision. Close to 80% of Jerma Project earmarked for apartments JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt