Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532664
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt AN 11-room guest house is be- ing proposed in place of a cluster of roofless ruins located along Triq Sir Temi Zammit outside development zones in the Żokri- ja area in Mosta. This comes two years after the Planning Authority (PA) ap- proved a dwelling with an adja- cent pool and deck area on the same site. The permit had been object- ed to by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and was only approved based on a controversial clause in the Rural Policy, which permits the rede- velopment of countryside ruins into villas if proof is provided that they were habitable before 1978. It was approved despite the case officer acknowledging that "the residential use of the build- ing had not been determined with certainty." The latest application, detailed in a Project Description State- ment (PDS) presented to the ERA, proposes a guest house with "11 comfortable guest rooms" designed "to offer guests an au- thentic Maltese experience while promoting sustainable tour- ism practices." The guest house would overlook "an outdoor pool area with extensive landscaping." Although the latest application, still in the preliminary screening stage, does not propose an ex- pansion of the villa's footprint approved in 2023, it seeks a sig- nificant increase in the base- ment size, from the previously approved 239 sq.m to 437 sq.m. This additional space would house a spa, kitchen, and break- fast area. The proponents have commit- ted to "honouring traditional Maltese architecture" and creat- ing a building "that is both func- tional and aesthetically pleasing, harmonising with the rural land- scape of the surrounding ODZ." The PDS also promised the in- troduction of "large amounts of soil and trees to give guests a Maltese landscape experience." Convoluted planning history The permit for the replacement dwelling was issued to Fabrizio Fenech on behalf of Easysell Limited in January 2023. Sub- sequently, the application was attributed to architect David Psaila, who owns a property de- velopment company. However, in 2019, the original applica- tion was presented by developer Keith Attard Portughes. Although the PDS submitted to ERA this year was unsigned, recent documentation for the demolition clearance identified David Psaila as the developer. Despite the 2023 permit being issued due to the controversial clause, the same application was heading for refusal in 2020, when Keith Attard Portughes was still listed as the applicant. The case officer had concluded that the ruins originally formed part of a larger property, incor- porating the adjoining residence, and no evidence had been sub- mitted to prove that the struc- tures in question comprised a separate residential unit. There- fore, the residential use of the building could not "be consid- ered as legally established." However, in 2023, another case officer report concluded that the proposed redevelopment of the existing pre-1967 ruins into a new residence was in line with the Rural Policy. The justification was that the proposed building would retain the same footprint as the dilapidated ruins, includ- ing a number of roofless rooms. Following "internal discus- sions," the residential use of the building was also deemed estab- lished because it formed part of the grounds of an adjacent villa which was granted a permit in 1986, with a pool added in 1997. "Whilst the residential use of the building has not been deter- mined with certainty, the pro- posed residential use can be con- ODZ Mosta guest house proposed after A guest house is proposed for Mosta's Żokrija area, replacing ruins that had previously been approved for redevelopment into a villa, despite objections from the Environment and Resources Authority Sejħa għal Diretturi Artistiċi fl-Aġenzija Festivals Malta għall-perjodu 2026-2028 L-Aġenzija Festivals Malta, taħt ir-responsabbilità tal-Ministeru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali, tavża li qed tirċievi applikazzjonijiet minn individwi kreattivi u innovattivi għar-rwol / rwolijiet ta' Direttur(i) Artistiku / Artistiċi għall-Festivals imsemmija hawn taħt: Ritmu Roots Festival Malta International Arts Festival Malta Jazz Festival Dance Festival Malta Notte Bianca The Three Palaces Festival L-applikazzjonijiet se jintlaqgħu mill-Aġenzija sal-Ġimgħa, 21 ta' Marzu 2025, sa nofsinhar, permezz ta' ittra elettronika lil hr.fm@festivals.mt Iktar informazzjoni tista' titniżżel mis-sit elettroniku ta' Festivals Malta www.festivals.mt/calls-and-applications Call for Artistic Directors for Festivals Malta Agency for period 2026-2028 Festivals Malta Agency, under the responsibility of the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, invites applications from creative and innovative professional(s) to take on the role of Artistic Director(s) for the below festivals: Ritmu Roots Festival Malta International Arts Festival Malta Jazz Festival Dance Festival Malta Notte Bianca The Three Palaces Festival Applications are to be received by not later than Friday 21st March 2025, at noon, by email to hr.fm@festivals.mt Further information can be found on the Festivals Malta website www.festivals.mt/calls-and-applications C M Y CM MY CY CMY K