Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535753
JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 7 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 MAY 2025 62 flats with 'blue steel trees' set for approval in Fgura AN undeveloped piece of land in Fgura, located opposite the local council of- fices and previously occupied by an old farmhouse, is set to house 62 residential units. THE project, in the heart of Fgura, is being proposed by the Vassallo Group. The farmhouse had been legally de- molished in 2021. The development will comprise two underground levels housing 92 garages, a ground-floor retail outlet, 48 apart- ments across three overlying levels, and 14 penthouses. The Planning Authority is expected to decide on the application on 4 June, but the project is already being recom- mended for approval by the case officer, who praised its contemporary design for reflecting "the prominent location within which the site is located." The project includes a partly recessed ground floor which, according to the case officer, "will give breath" to the commercial space by creating "a cov- ered semi-public open space" that pro- motes social interaction. The area will be framed by striking, "tree-shaped blue steel pillars", forming a contemporary portico that serves as a distinctive and visually engaging feature. Traffic impact A Transport Impact Assessment ac- knowledged that major junction fail- ures in the area are expected by 2031, but concluded that "this will happen with or without the proposed develop- ment." While there is "no straightforward solution," the case officer refers to a local plan policy calling for a compre- hensive transport strategy for the Fgu- ra–Paola–Tarxien area, including junc- tion upgrades, traffic calming measures, controlled parking schemes, and in- creased use of alternative transport. Cash for heritage The approval marks the end of a long saga, during which the landowner suc- cessfully requested the de-scheduling of the farmhouse after the Superin- tendence of Cultural Heritage conclud- ed that the building was not worthy of protection. The farmhouse had been granted Grade 3 protection in 1995, as parts of it were believed to date back over 200 years. The Fgura local council had pro- posed restoring the building, recon- structing its original niche, and trans- forming the site into a public cultural centre and green open space. The council's appeal against the dem- olition—arguing the farmhouse was Fgura's oldest building—was unsuc- cessful. Initially, a permit condition required the reuse of the farmhouse's stone cor- bels in any new development. However, a €7,000 'heritage gain' payment allowed the developer to bypass this obligation. The Superintendence of Cultural Her- itage later concluded that reusing these elements "is not feasible to implement and would constitute a pastiche of ele- ments devoid of any context." The Fgura site as it is today (top), and how it will look when developed (bottom) Villa proposed on Migra l-Ferha cliffs A new villa is being proposed in one of Malta's most scenic locations—the cliff edge near Miġra l-Ferħa in the outskirts of Rabat. The planning application, submitted by de Petri Testaferrata Group Ltd, which owns the site, envisages the partial recon- struction of dilapidated existing rooms and a substantial extension to an "existing dwelling". The proposed villa will be at the tip of the promontory overlooking the area known as Ta' Xieref on one side and the Irdum tal-Qaws on the other. The area where the villa is being pro- posed includes a cluster of vernacular structures, mostly built using traditional techniques, as well as underlying caves within the cliff face. The plans suggest that the new villa will be roofed and screened with shrubs. The application covers only a small part of an extensive landholding around the Miġra l-Ferħa coastline. This area is designated as an Area of High Landscape Value (AHLV), a Natura 2000 site, and an Area of Ecological Importance. In its initial assessment, the Environ- ment and Resources Authority (ERA) objected to any further extensions and physical modifications to the site, noting that such interventions would introduce urban development into a sensitive ru- ral landscape. ERA also warned that the project would lead to the formalisation of natural land and require extensive site en- gineering and alterations. ERA further expressed concern that, once the structures are used as a residen- tial unit, this would necessitate the intro- duction of infrastructure such as water, electricity, sewage, telecommunications, and other services. In their application, the owners con- firmed that the development requires trenching to connect to the potable water distribution network and sewage system, even though the existing use of the site is described as residential. However, ERA raised no major objec- tions to the reconstruction of the roof of the pre-1967 room, or to the repair of the partly damaged pre-1967 structure, as well as the demolition of a low-ceilinged room, provided these works use the same finish as the existing old rooms. The Superintendence of Cultural Herit- age has also expressed concern regarding the potential negative impact of the pro- posed development. Environmental NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa is likewise objecting to the proposal, noting it would involve the excavation of rock within this protected site.