Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/541394
6 JAMES DEBONO OVER the past days brown signs have been installed in a number of locali- ties including Siggiewi, Zebbug and Qormi to direct drivers towards Mon- tekristo, the controversial and partly illegal property owned by construc- tion magnate Charles Polidano. The signs directing people to Mon- tekristo have been put on public prop- erty and follow the international con- vention on tourist signs, which consist of brown signs with white lettering and white pictograms. The Montekristo signs follow the international convention but are dif- ferent from those put up by Transport Malta but are strikingly similar to signs used abroad. Transport Malta, the authority re- sponsible for signage told MaltaToday that the authority did not install any such signage because Montekristo is not a historical site as defined and ap- proved by the Malta Tourism Author- ity. Moreover Transport Malta does not implement nor does it approve direc- tional signing to private developments. In fact MaltaToday is informed that private owners often erect such signs leading to private developments and the authorities have closed an eye on this abuse. But this is the first time that a private sign has been modelled on the internationally recognised sig- nage used to direct people including tourists to historical sites. Montekristo a kitsch blend of ar- chitectural styles, which include a Greek temple and a tower modelled on the De Redin towers, is subject to a number of enforcement orders. The company also has pending applica- tions to sanction a number of unau- thorised works. maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 15 JULY 2015 News HAVE YOUR SAY 4JHOVQBOEMPHPOUP.50CTFSWFSBOEIBWFZPVSTBZPO FWFSZUIJOHGSPNDVSSFOUBõBJSTUPMPDBMUSFOETXJUIUIF DIBODFUPXJOQSJ[FTJOPVSXFFLMZDPNQFUJUJPOT.50CTFSWFS JTZPVSDIBODFUPDPOUSJCVUFUPUIFGBTUQBDFEXPSMEPGUIF NFEJBBOEMFOEZPVSWPJDFUPUIFEJTDVTTJPO 7JTJUPCTFSWFSNBMUBUPEBZDPNNU Montekristo signs disowned by Transport Malta Bungalow area set for demolition JAMES DEBONO AN application has been presented to allow the re-development of a low-density bungalow area in Bu- gibba constructed in the 1960s to make way for three storey build- ings. The villas along Triq it-Trunciera between Triq il-Kurazza and Triq Ghawdex are characteristic of the modernist style prevalent in the 1960s. Ammorin Ltd a company owned by John Tanti has applied to change the present one storey height limi- tation to permit buildings with "a semi-basement, 3 floors and pent- house." Robert Sarsero, who also sits on MEPA's Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, has sub- mitted the application. Local plan policy NWSP 11 ap- proved in 2006 paves the way for this development on 12 different sites. The policy claims that the pro- posed scheme was being introduced because "over the years a number of developments both within the blocks and even more so in the sur- rounding areas occurred which se- riously compromised the low-den- sity residential character which the 1960's scheme had intended" Residents have disputed this in- sisting that nothing of the sort has occurred in this particular area where the original villas have been retained. "It is this proposed scheme, if ap- proved, that will compromise the low density character of the area because it would allow a height of a semi basement, three floors and a penthouse," a resident told Mal- taToday. YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt Transport Malta did not install Montekristo road signs since the location is not a historical site as defined by the Malta Tourism Authority The road to Montekristo is now easier to find but Transport Malta said it had nothing to do with new signs The villas earmarked for re-development were built in a distinctive modernist style prevalent in the 1960s