Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541608
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 NOVEMBER 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Bid to add six storeys over landmark Sliema block enters final round A development application sub- mitted by Fafner Investment Ltd seeks to add six new storeys on top of the existing Britannia Flats in Sliema. Britannia Flats, which faces Tower Road on one side and the narrow Trejqet Luzju on the other, is a standalone four-storey residential block dating back to the early 20th century. The building is one of the few standalone structures left un- touched by the development frenzy that led to the demolition of most buildings overlooking the Sliema front over the past 40 years. The extension will allow the applicant to construct 10 new apartments over the existing building on Tower Road. These units will be spread over five ad- ditional storeys and a penthouse level. The outline permit was issued with a condition excluding any balcony projections beyond the building line on the narrow Tre- jqet Luzju, whose residents had raised privacy concerns. Moreover, a new generic condi- tion stating that "the height of the development should respect the surrounding context" was added by the Environment and Plan- ning Review Tribunal in April 2025. The appeal had been filed by residents who argued that the development as approved did not respect the height to width ratio with respect to the new building's elevation on Trejqet Luzju. But the tribunal argued that any decision with regards to the height and massing of the build- ing was premature because the approval granted (PA 682/22) was an outline permit and not a full development permission. The tribunal left this particu- lar issue wide open arguing that the PA can still deviate from the height limitation in this area. The height limitation in this case is 35.5 metres on Tower Road and 29 metres on Trejqet Luzju. Moreover, the tribunal cited a regulation, which allows for deviations from the height limitations if this is justified by the site context. But the latest plans do not fore- see any changes from those ap- proved at outline stage and do not include any balconies facing Trejqet Luzju. The permit issued in 2024 was an outline one, meaning the PA had approved the development in principle, with developers still required to present detailed plans in a full development application. The internal layout, design, and external appearance of the pro- posed building were left as re- served matters to be determined at this stage. The existing façade will be re- tained, but the building will rise to match the height of other blocks fronting Tower Road. The case officer had originally recommended refusing the out- line application on health and sanitary grounds, citing the ex- cessive height in relation to the narrow alley. The Superintendence of Cul- tural Heritage had also objected on the basis that the extension did not complement the "build- ing rhythm" of the original struc- ture, but later withdrew its ob- jection after revised plans were submitted with design modifica- tions intended to better integrate the new volumes. The full development applica- tion is PA7475/25.