Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/341807
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 JULY 2014 3 News MIRIAM DALLI MARSASKALA residents are irked by the new policy regulat- ing building heights that could see buildings in their town rising up to 10 storeys. Labour mayor Mario Calleja insist- ed the local council will vehemently object to any such development – excluding the former Jerma Hotel site – if such an application is pre- sented for MEPA's approval. The policy regulating building heights issued for public consulta- tion in November was tweaked and approved on the quiet by the govern- ment on 24 May. The new policy effectively reduces the minimum site area where high rise development can take place in all Maltese towns and villages from the proposed 5,000 square metres to 4,000 square metres. Moreover, as initially proposed, no minimum site area is required for high rise development in Sliema, St Julian's, Msida, Gzira, Pietà, St Paul's Bay, Marsaskala and Marsa, which could see buildings rising up to 10 storeys in these localities. "It's a positive step that Marsaskala was ex- cluded from allowing taller buildings to be developed but we still disagree with medium-rise buildings. As a council we have made our submis- sions to MEPA, but these were ig- nored," Calleja said. The mayor argued that with a sub- stantial number of vacant properties in the locality, further development would be unnecessary. Residents present at the coun- cil's news conference complained of blocked roads and an increase in dust when a medium-rise building – the Ta' Monita complex – was de- veloped. They claimed they had to take down solar panels because the high building was obstructing the sun. "We want this policy to be revoked. No one ever thought Marsaskala would grow to the 13,000 residents it hosts today. Such development not only causes an inconvenience to the residents, it also ruins the skyline," Calleja said. He added that the local council was against the policy on principle: "There have been no applications submitted as yet, so our argument is not against developers. We just want to safeguard our locality." The mayor however does not ob- ject to high rise development at the former Jerma Hotel site, on the con- dition that the surrounding area is safeguarded. Calleja said that a new hotel in the area would be a blessing for the locality as it would help re- generate Marsaskala's economy. JAMES DEBONO A 12-storey tower is being proposed over 1,401 square metres of land in Gzira. The site presently occupied by United Garage Limited lies on Triq il-Gzira and corners with Triq Tas- Sliema and Triq ir-Rebha. The application proposes a com- mercial and residential high-rise building with a public, open land- scaped plaza at ground level and three underground levels of car parking. Jean Borg of ADMP Estates limited is proposing the development. An application for a four-storey development and penthouse devel- opment on the same site was ap- proved by MEPA in 2011. Gzira, along with Mriehel, Tigné, Marsa and Qawra has been identi- fied in a newly approved policy doc- ument as a site where over-10 storey buildings can be developed. The document states that streets on all sides must surround over-10 storey buildings. Before the approval of the new policy, high-rise and medium sized development could be proposed only on sites covering 3,000 square metres. According to the new policy high rise buildings can be allowed in the five selected localities on any site surrounded by planned or existing streets on all sides irrespective of its size. Medium-sized buildings, twice the size of local plan height policy but less than 10 storeys, can be al- lowed on any site greater than 4,000 square metres if located outside the designated localities. In designated localities like Marsaskala and Gzira these can be located on any site sur- rounded by streets on all sides. No high or medium rise buildings are allowed in Gozo, ridges or ODZ areas. MEPA has already approved the 23-storey high Metropolis develop- ment in Testaferrata Street, Gzira. New high- rise tower proposed for Gzira Marsaskala local council objects to heights policy United Garage with (pictured below) architect's plan of high-rise