Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/535515
8 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 1 JULY 2015 News GAP bound by 2007 agreement to restore Tigne military barracks JAMES DEBONO FORT Cambridge developers are legally obliged to "effect the restoration" of the former mili- tary barracks building in Tigne by April 2017 or "any other time stipulated in a future de- velopment permit". This is laid down in the agree- ment signed between the Lands Department and GAP Holdings in April 2007. The agreement binds the de- veloper to restore both the fort and glacis known as Fort Cam- bridge and the site of the ex military barracks. But despite this commitment to restore the barracks, the de- velopers have undertaken no such works in the past seven years during which the site was left abandoned. Residents in the area have even reported "a mysterious fire" and a general lack of main- tenance has made it a haven for vermin. It was only last month that plans were presented to the Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority proposing the erection of a 40-storey hotel and the "retention of the his- toric existing facades of the Fort Cambridge barracks" and the "demolition of the existing southwest facade and the 'in- ternal structures'." A permit issued by MEPA in 2010, which obliged the de- velopers to restore Fort Cam- bridge, did not impose any obligations with regard to the upkeep of the British era bar- racks. The works on the fort and glacis were commenced recently, more than three years after the permit was issued. When contacted in Janu- ary GAP director Paul Attard claimed that the group was concentrating on the restora- tion works of Fort Cambridge – the pentagonal British-built fortress dating back to the 1880s, and the glacis. "As one would appreciate, res- toration is very laborious work and it takes quite an amount of time and attention." As regards the barracks, he pointed out that the building had been sealed. Fort Cambridge was leased to GAP for 99 years, following a competitive tender, for Lm23.3 million (€54.274 million). A Fort Cambridge develop- ment brief approved in 2006, which remains legally bind- ing, specifies that the existing building height of the ex mili- tary barracks is to be retained. But MEPA has so far not re- plied MaltaToday's questions on whether it intends to change the development brief to ac- commodate the 40-storey de- velopment, which has already been approved by the Malta Tourism Authority and was the subject of preliminary discus- sions with MEPA. According to the brief, the barracks building "is to be re- tained due to its historical and architectural importance", but internal alterations will be al- lowed. This building will act as a buffer between new higher de- velopment on the site and the surrounding residential blocks. No additional f loors were to be allowed over this landmark building. Former Burmarrad winery to make way for retail centre JAMES DEBONO BURMARRAD is set to have its own retail centre on the site of an abandoned winery after the Malta Environment and Planning Author- ity yesterday approved the demoli- tion of the derelict Farmers' Wine building. The winery is to be replaced by a retail centre having the same foot- print, but which will be 1.4 metres higher. The development proposed by Ol- iver Brownrigg, who owns BT Com- mercial Limited, is set to include a 1,035 square metre retail area, 900 square metres of offices, storage fa- cilities and a large surface car park for 102 cars on a paved area next to the building. Three MEPA board members, including Environment Planning Commission board chairman Elisa- beth Ellul, voted in favour while bi- ologist Charles Grech voted against. The case officer report issued last week recommended the approval of the new development, overruling the objections made by the author- ity's Environment Protection Direc- torate. While the Planning Directorate considered the development as "aes- thetically acceptable" and an "envi- ronmental improvement" over the present situation, the Environment Protection Directorate was firmly opposed. The EPD considered the develop- ment unacceptable, as it would re- sult in "new urban activities" in the countryside and in "further urban sprawl" and "excessive formalisa- tion" in an area which is located out- side development zones. The EPD also expressed concern on the "sub- stantial increase in hard surfacing" required for the proposed car park. In their submissions to MEPA the developer's architects claimed "the surrounding grounds have been left to deteriorate and that the site today constitutes a major eyesore in the Burmarrad area". It was the approval of the new rural policy in 2014 which spurred the developers to embark on a project to re-develop the area, which has a "positive impact" on the environment. The new policy allows the demo- lition of existing agricultural build- ings in the ODZ to be rebuilt and redeveloped. Previously, agricultur- al ODZ buildings such as wineries could not be redeveloped for other purposes. According to the developers, through the provision of adequate onsite parking, the new retail de- velopment will serve as a "regional magnet", attracting customers from adjacent towns and relieving pres- sure from town centres. In 2009 MEPA had issued an en- forcement order against the change of use of the site from one used for the manufacture of wine to one where vehicles are stored. The en- forcement was closed in 2011 when MEPA approved internal alterations to the existing building. 17% of farmers are from Gozo JAMES DEBONO DOCUMENTS presented in parliament show that 17% of all full time farmers are from Gozo. The statistics show that Malta has only 1,576 full time farmers, 271 of whom are from Gozo. The number of full time farmers has increased by 275 since 2010. The statistics show that with 156 full time farmers Mgarr is the agricultural capital of the Maltese is- lands. Mgarr is followed by Zeb- bug, which has 84 full time farmers, and Siggiewi with 83 farmers. Download the MaltaToday App now Tigne military barracks, now lying abandoned A retail centre is to replace the abandoned Burmarrad winery A retail centre is to replace the abandoned Burmarrad winery