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6 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 8 JANUARY 2014 MEPA set to ban high MEP can buildings at Ta' Masrija politics o JURGEN BALZAN JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Environment and Planning Authority has issued a public consultation with the aim of revising an existing policy allowing the application of the controversial Floor Area Ration mechanism which could see high building towering over a ridge in Mellieha. Effectively, the proposed prohibition of high buildings in this area will limit any development on the site to three storeys, a basement and a penthouse as foreseen in the local plan, thus avoiding a repeat of the Mistra controversy, which saw the authority approving high-rise development on a ridge. But the public consultation also proposes to remove the obligation imposed on developers to present comprehensive plans to cover the entire area, which has multiple owners. This could result in a trade off for the developers enabling them to occupy more of the site. Instead of the developers being expected of presenting comprehensive plans, MEPA will be issuing a master plan indicating road alignments, land uses and building heights "within the framework of the policy approved in 2006". Ta' Masrija area is located on an open space next to the Mellieha bypass overlooking the Mizieb Valley and the Xaghra l-Hamra natural park, which has been earmarked in the local plans for the development of 463 apartments. The site is presently in a derelict state following the closure of a quarry in the area in 1996. Two years ago an Environmental Planning Statement (EPS) which considers proposals submitted for the development of three adjacent sites in View from Mizieb today; Below: View from Mizieb if Masrija is developed the Ta' Masrija area, limits of Mellieha acknowledged that the high-rise development is bound to have significant impact on the rural landscape, when viewed from the southwest, south, and southeast. "The fact that the Ta' Masrija area is located on the periphery of Mellieha and adjacent to a relatively, unspoiled valley dramatises the contrasts that often characterise the urban-rural nexus," the report states. According to the planning policy for the area, the height of the buildings in the site will not exceed three floors plus six courses semi-basement above the level of any proposed route but through the application of the Floor Area Ratio, developers were proposing apartment blocks, which are sixand-a-half-storeys high. MEPA's Floor Area Ratio policy, which is still a draft, enables developers to opt for higher buildings if this results in more open space facilities for residents. A survey conducted by the consultants among 190 residents living in adjacent streets showed that only 4% of respondents were in favour of the development as proposed; 87% were opposed to it. 6% were undecided at the time of survey. The vast majority called for building heights to be reduced to three or four storeys and for the density of units within the development to be reduced. Several others argued for a larger area to be devoted to gardens. Some respondents proposed that the area be developed with a small number of terraced houses surrounded by gardens. MEPA's Environment Protection Directorate had opposed application of the Floor Area Ratio on this site because it is located on a ridge. "The provision of more public space can be achieved without resorting to the construction of tall buildings." MEPA's Natural Heritage Panel made similar objections. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 NATIONALIST Party MEP hopeful Stefano Mallia defied the party's official stand on who should become the next president and said that there was no need to make the selection process for the next President "a political one". In a note uploaded on his Facebook page, Mallia wrote, "For a change, why can't we appoint somebody who has never been directly involved in politics. I'm sure there are a number of candidates that would do us proud just like the previous ones have done us very proud." He added that by "going down this route, it would also give the chosen individual a much greater freedom to develop and fulfil the role of the President". PN leader Simon Busuttil has called on the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to follow his predecessor's example and appoint a President from the opposing political camp. President George Abela, whose term comes to an end in March, was a former Labour deputy leader and was appointed by former PN Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. After publishing the note on his Facebook page, Mallia's campaign team issued a press release, in which it pointed out that, "Mallia's position is in contrast to the one taken by the PN, who are vying for a person to be chosen from the Opposition rather than the government". Reacting to Mallia's statement, PN leader Simon Busuttil told MaltaToday that "Stefano's po- An unnamed third party ha interest in publishing the d THE spokesperson said that after this decision, the MCA commenced discussions with GO plc to provide this service, but in the meantime a third party made its interest known to publish a printed telephone directory on its own accord. The third party was testing data received from operators but despite these developments, the third party reneged from taking a final decision in this regard. MaltaToday has learnt that in the coming months, the Communications Authority will "consult the Universal Services Obligations and deal with the publication of the telephone directory". Nonetheless no timeframes were given, which make the possibility of a 2014 edition seem even more distant. The MCA spokesperson said that a survey carried out some years ago established that the majority of people were not using the printed directory. "But in order to ensure every possible means to access such information to the entire population, in 2010 the Authority decided that the printed directory should still be considered as part of the Universal Service," she concluded. In the absence of a printed landline directory, the majority either recurred to the 2004 edition or the online version. Overseas, most of the countries issue regular editions of printed directories despite also having online versions.

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