Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537460
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 JULY 2025 NEWS Tribunal revokes hotel permit for Sirdar House in St Julian's but… THE Environment and Planning Review Tribunal has revoked a planning permit for a hotel devel- opment at Sirdar House, a 19th century townhouse in St Julian's. The tribunal upheld an appeal filed by NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa and the St Julian's local council. It con- cluded that a hotel is not permissi- ble according to the North Harbour Local Plan. The local plan limits development in designated residential areas to dwellings, hostels, small shops and a limited number of offices. However, the tribunal also con- cluded that it would be unfair to re- voke the permission outright with- out giving the applicant a chance to present new plans addressing this shortcoming. Therefore, the tribunal referred the application back to the Plan- ning Authority at the pre–case of- ficer stage to re-examine the case. The applicant must now submit revised plans conforming with the policy. In September 2024, the PA had approved the conversion of the his- toric property into a 38-room hotel, allowing the addition of three floors and a receded level with a chimney flue, excavation for a swimming pool in the property's garden, and partial demolition of interior spac- es. The development was proposed by Andrea Zammit Tabona. The tribunal has now ordered fur- ther design adjustments to reduce the impact of the proposed exten- sion, including setting back the top floor by 1.4 metres along the south- ern boundary and increasing the height of the proposed chimney. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Zabbar cemetery extension set for approval THE Planning Authority is set to approve a significant ex- pansion of the Żabbar Ceme- tery, through the construc- tion of 1,060 new graves, 100 urns, and four chapels. The expansion is being pro- posed by private developer Alex Tanti on behalf of ALT Limited which will finance the project by selling the new graves. The company will be responsible for the operation and management of the ex- tension. The plan will increase the cemetery's footprint from 3,670sq.m to 4,800sq.m on land already designated for this purpose in the local plan. The application also in- cludes a periphery boundary wall, new steel gates and a link between the existing ceme- tery and the new extension. The case officer is recom- mending approval, and the final decision is set for 22 July. According to a report pre- sented by the developers' en- vironmental consultant ADI Limited, the Żabbar ceme- tery, established in 1813, is nearly full. The most recent expansion, completed be- tween 1998 and 2004, provid- ed 370 additional graves, yet this was insufficient to cater for current and projected de- mand. Żabbar's population has approximately doubled since then. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, all 40 burial cham- bers that had been reserved for common use were taken up. The applicant says there is now no capacity left, necessi- tating the extension. The extension will have a surface level and another un- derground, accessible via a lift and staircase in the centre of the site. It will add a garden of remembrance and a toilet at the eastern corner. Four family chapels will be con- structed, two at surface level and two beneath them. Trees and shrubs will cover approx- imately 13% of the site. The new extension will sole- ly provide Catholic rites, with bones removed after several years for placement into os- suaries. The cemetery will close overnight, with a caretaker handling opening and closing. It will not have permanent employees on site. No extra parking will be provided.