Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545412
2 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 JUNE 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 "GIVEN the potential impact on the values of the harbour and its fortifications, the Superintend- ence is bringing the case to the attention of the National World Heritage Technical Committee," the SCH said. The authority added that it will issue further comments once the National World Her- itage Technical Committee (NWHTC) concludes its anal- ysis. The SCH also highlighted that the same harbour fortifi- cations form a significant part of The Maltese Fortifications of the Knights of St John, re- cently nominated for inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The application, filed in 7 April, seeks permission for land reclamation adjacent to the popular Sliema promenade leading towards Gżira. The re- claimed area would accommo- date a lido comprising of an outdoor swimming pool, sun deck, two buildings housing facilities ancillary to the pool, Class 4D restaurants and a play area. If approved, the project would alter one of Malta's busiest coastal promenades and par- tially conceal views towards Manoel Island, which has been earmarked for transformation into a public park. Another lido proposed by another hotel consortium led by Michael Stivala has already changed promenade dynamics obstructing direct views of the sea and restricting coastal ac- cess to a small corridor circling around the lido which is often obstructed and largely avoid- ed by pedestrians. Moreover, the development includes two big restaurants catering for the general public and not just ho- tel residents. The most recent application was submitted by Strand Li- do Ltd, Libyan Arab Maltese Holdings Company Limited (LAMHCO) and Sea Pebbles Ltd. According to company re- cords, Strand Lido Ltd is owned by Carmel Farrugia, Daniel Farrugia and Joseph Casha, while Sea Pebbles Ltd is owned by Joseph and Josephine Casha. LAMHCO is a Malta-Libya government investment com- pany established in 1975 to un- dertake major investments in manufacturing and hospitality. The intervention by the SCH does not amount to a final rec- ommendation on the appli- cation. However, by referring the case to the National World Heritage Technical Commit- tee, the heritage authority has signalled that the proposal raises wider concerns about the protection of the Grand Har- bour's historic landscape and the integrity of one of Malta's most iconic coastal vistas. More than 650 people have objected to the proposed devel- opment in the past weeks. "After they took our land, now they want to take over our coast and sea," one of the ob- jectors warned. Policy NHRL01 of the North Harbour Local Plan, designates the entirety of the promenade as a public open space. Application seeks permission for land reclamation adjacent to Sliema promenade leading towards Gzira A rendering of what the proposed lido will look like 31-storey tower proposed next to Muscat Motors showroom MIZZI Estate Limited has pre- sented a planning application proposing a 31-storey tower comprising offices, a hotel and residential units instead of the Muscat Motors showroom in Gżira. The application (4284/26), which is still in its initial stages, divides the 4,500sq.m site into three areas: A 2,674sq.m plot be- hind the showroom designated for high-rise development; the 487sq.m protected showroom, which is to be retained and re- habilitated; and a convention- ally developed area separated from the tower by a new road that would provide access from Triq Rue d'Argens to Triq Luqa Briffa. The proposed project would be a stone's throw away from the 23-storey ST Tower and directly opposite the massive excavation intended for the undeveloped 33-storey Metropolis Tower, which is also set to include a ho- tel. The nearby GasanMamo of- fice block has likewise been ear- marked for redevelopment into a 10-storey hotel. Further up the road, the former Wembley ice- cream factory has already been transformed into an eight-storey office building. The application foresees the retention and rehabilitation of the existing Muscat Motors showroom, one of the few mod- ernist buildings in Malta granted protection in 2012. It also includes five levels of underground parking facilities. According to the plans, the entire complex would be sur- rounded by an open, landscaped plaza. A previous application for the site, originally submit- ted in 2008 and withdrawn a few months ago, had already pro- posed the use of the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) mechanism, which allows developers to exceed lo- cal plan height limitations in ex- change for public benefits such as the creation of an open plaza. The application was withdrawn after a case officer had recom- mended a refusal due to the fail- ure to present a visual impact assessment and a social impact assessment. Application foresees retention and rehabilitation of protected showroom and creation of an open plaza JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt