Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/643092
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2016 10 News JAMES DEBONO A pile of rubble is what is left of a Zabbar farmhouse on Sqaq tal-Fata that collapsed 38 years ago, and whose owners now want to rebuild into a dwelling. The proposal has encountered op- position from the Malta Environ- ment and Planning Authority's natu- ral heritage advisory committee. "Although the building existed in 1957, nothing remains on site today as evidently shown in photographs presented with the application," the NHAC said in its objection. The landowners want to build a two-storey dwelling on a 137 square metre footprint, making it slightly smaller than the original 1957 site plan presented by the applicant. Rebuilding old ruins outside devel- opment zones into new dwellings is permitted by the rural policy, if de- velopers present proof that the ruins were once used as a residence. The panel's claim that no proof of use in this case has been submit- ted was rebutted by architect Robert Musumeci, who is representing own- er Maryrose Seixas. Musumeci told MaltaToday that proof of residential use has been submitted to MEPA, namely notarial deeds and a photo of the building dating back to 1957 has also been submitted to MEPA. Musumeci currently also serves as the govern- ment's advisor on planning policies. The owner, who lives abroad, could not be contacted. Environmental NGO Din l-Art Helwa has also objected to the re- construction of the proposed dwell- ing. While acknowledging that the building existed in 1957, the NGO noted that no part of this building is still standing. DLH questioned whether the rural policy can be applied in cases involv- ing buildings which no longer exist and have been in this state for more than 10 years. Musumeci would not comment on the application, claiming that it was "sub judice", and because he did not have his client's consent. The proposed reconstruction of the farmhouse had already been refused by MEPA in 1998 and confirmed by its appeals board two years later. The case officer report confirms that the building was abandoned in 1978 and that one of the roofs had collapsed way back in 1972, followed by the collapse of one of the rooms. In 1998 the applicant pleaded with MEPA to consider her social situa- tion, that of living with her mother in a very small house with a husband and three children. The case officer report also reveals that "some works" were conducted on site "which would make identification of the ruins even more difficult". Policy paves the way for redevelopment of ruins Roofless and long-abandoned MEPA's rural policy turns rubble into new homes Owners of ruins from ODZ farmhouse that collapsed 38 years ago want new farmhouse under new policy Senglea hotel approved advice of Superintendence JAMES DEBONO A controversial third floor for a proposed hotel in Senglea is to be retained despite repeated objec- tions by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage and a recom- mendation for refusal by the ME- PA case officer. The developers had previously dropped a proposed fourth floor from their initial plans but insisted on retaining the third floor. In letters sent to MEPA in Febru- ary last year, and again in October, the Superintendence insisted that the proposed third floor would "negatively impact existing views of the skyline" when seen from across Campsite owner wants to Mellieha site by 4,000 square AN extension of 4,018 square metres of land to an existing campsite is being proposed at l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha. The site is a scheduled buffer zone to a site of ecological im- portance as well as an area of high landscape value, and is separated from the existing campsite by a number of fields and greenhouses near Triq Dahlet ix-Xmajjar. Plans foresee the installation of a 2.5-metre perimeter metal fence partly covered by a rubble wall, an entrance gate, and the planting of shrubs to screen the new development. The fields will be levelled with gravel. MEPA has yet to issue a screening letter informing the applicant whether the develop- ment can be permitted under