Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/460957
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2015 6 News The Malta Environment & Planning Authority Board will meet on Thursday 12th February, 2015 at 14:00 hours at the MEPA boardroom, St. Francis Ravelin, Floriana, to discuss the following: DETERMINATION OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL APPLICATIONS: PA 4917/07: Site at Ramla tal-Mixquqa, Mellieha Relocation of kiosk under existing carpark; relocation of stairs to beach; construction of upper level; removal of existing structure on beach and stairs. PA 2714/14: Site at, Freedom Square, City Gate, Triq Ir- Repubblika, Belt Valletta Erection of an artistic 'bas relief' monument in bronze, depicting the Knights of Malta overlooking Freedom Square at City Gate, Republic Street, Valletta. DETERMINATION OF PLANNING CONTROL APPLICATION: *PC 0058/08: Site at, Ta' Zokrija, Triq Patri Guze Delia, Triq Camillo Sciberras, Triq Ta' Zejfa, Mosta Proposed zoning and building alignment. All proposed area with 3, receeded penthouse (4.25m) and basement except areas abutting T10 Road which are being proposed for 2 floors and basement, a receded second floor (6.00m) and a further receded (6.00m) penthouses level. Zoning; Terraced Development (Residential Area). *PC application may be viewed on http://www.mepa.org.mt/info-participation-pc. Subject to the maximum seating capacity, seats can be reserved on request for the applicant and registered objectors. Remaining seating is filled on a first come first served basis. th RESERVATIONS: 2290 2018 06 February, 2015 Underground Space (Golden Bay), Ir- Notice of meeting to be held in public www.mepa.org.mt JAMES DEBONO A request by the Mosta local coun- cil for the inclusion of a play area on a 16,000 square metre site added to development zones in 2006, has been shot down by the planning author- ity's Planning Directorate. The site, located in an area known as il-Hotba taz-Zokrija, is owned by Easy Sell Properties Ltd and 10 indi- vidual plot owners, who include con- struction magnate Charles Polidano 'ic-Caqnu'. MEPA is currently drafting zoning and height limitation policies for this site. In its submissions to MEPA the Mosta council noted: "it is unfortu- nate that yet another unbuilt space is to undergo development". The council also objected to the absence of any garden or play area on the site earmarked for development. "It is suggested that such an open space be mandatory and layout rede- signed to accommodate it," it argued. The council also proposed that a water catchment facility should be in- tegrated under the play/open space. In case this was not possible the council asked for a financial contribu- tion which would be used to upgrade MEPA rejects Mosta play area on Patrol boat proposed for scuttling off Gozo JAMES DEBONO WRECKS, it has been established, make wonderful attractions for divers, but there were instances in the 1990s when owners got rid of seafaring vessels they did not want by offering them to the diving in- dustry to scuttle them – that way of disposing of their unwanted craft was a way of circumventing regulations on waste disposal. It is some time since the strata- gem has been resorted to – all of the vessels scuttled since 2006 have been purchased (albeit at a highly discounted price) for that purpose, and all applications have followed strict conditions set by the Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority. This emerges from a Project De- scription Statement (PDS) com- missioned by the Professional Diving Schools Association (PD- SA), to support its planning appli- cation for the scuttling of a patrol boat onto the seabed off the north coast of Gozo, in the area west of Reqqa Point and north of Billing- hurst's Cave. MEPA's Environment Protec- tion Directorate had earlier on expressed concern about the "in- discriminate approach " regarding the scuttling of vessels, describing it "as an easy, out of sight solution for disposal of unwanted vessels rather than decommissioning of individual components". The three existing dive wrecks in Gozo are all at Ix-Xatt l-Ahmar, on the south coast. But when the wind blows strongly from the south or east, these sites become unavailable for use. A diving wreck on the north coast would give divers an alternative location in these meteorological condi- tions. There are 11 dive wrecks, some of which were familiar names with most everyone, that have been purposely scuttled for diving off the coast of the Maltese Islands: the mv Rozi and P29 at Cirkew wa; P31 at Comino; Um El Faroud off Zurrieq; Imperial Eagle off Qawra Point; mv Xlendi, mv Cominoland and mv Karwela at ix-Xatt l-Ah- mar, Gozo; tug boats No 10 and the St Michael off Zonqor Point, Marsaskala; and tug boat Tug 2 off Exiles, Sliema. Other genuine wrecks which went down to the deep during the second world war and are used as diving sites include the HMS Stubborn off Is-Sikka l-Bajda; HMS Maori in Grand Harbour; the ss Margit in Kalkara Bay; Le Polynesien, the St Angelo mine- sweeper; HMS Hellespont and the Schnelle Boote (Eboat) outside Grand Harbour; HMS Southwold off Zonqor Point, Marsaskala, a Blenheim Bomber off Il-Hofriet in Marsaxlokk; a Bristol Beau- fighter off Merkanti Reef; Scot Craig off Anchor Bay; an X127 Water Lighter at Manoel Island; and a British aircraft (Mosquito) off Delimara. "Wrecks, whether historic or purposely scuttled, contribute in no small way to the diving tour- ism product of the Maltese Is- lands," the report argues. The scuttling of wrecks and the construction of artificial reefs have been shown to attract fish life and, "as long as the fish are not molested by fishermen and spear hunters", enhance the value of these dive sites. "This would help to counteract the current negative situation at several dive sites that have a seri- ous lack of fish ". The patrol boat now proposed for scuttling would not find its resting place on Posidonia ocean- ica meadows. but on a sandy area. The location of the scheme site near a submarine cave is not ex- pected to affect the cave or other reefs. Likewise, while the placement on the sandy seabed would bury the patch of sand in question, the footprint of the vessel is so small that this impact is not expected to be significant. The site is a marine protection area. One of the con- cerns identified in the report is that wrecks tend to attract spear fishermen. The report recom- mends banning fishing around these sites. JAMES DEBONO THE former General Soft Drinks factory in Qormi is set to make way for 142 new apartments, according to plans presented to the Malta En- vironment and Planning Authority. The proposal consists of the demolition of the factory (pictured right) and the construction of un- derground parking and private car garages, showroom and retail out- lets, three storeys of apartments and overlying penthouses. The development provides for the total demolition of the existing building and all of its amenities, and the construction of a new residential development consisting of a number of blocks of almost the same heights with a maximum height of three storeys plus semi basement from the lowest street level. The factory, which covered more than 7,200 square metres, was built in 1952 and became popular for the production of several drinks, but mostly Coca-Cola. In 2008, as the company expanded, production was moved to a larger plant in Mar- sa, which has a footprint of 21,000 square metres The development will be pre- dominantly residential in nature, providing a mix of larger than aver- age three-, two- and one-bedroom apartments. The showroom and re- tail outlets will be established along the perimeter on Triq I-Imdina. Coca-Cola factory to make way for apartments Underwater wrecks are an attraction for divers