Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/644193
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2016 7 JAMES DEBONO THE land parcel in Gudja ear- marked for a proposed tourism project by the owners of an irreg- ular restaurant, which itself is sit- uated on the land parcel, is leased by the state to "various tenants" for "agricultural purposes", a spokesperson for the government confirmed. A spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed that the government had issued its "consent" to the developer to apply on its property in Gudja but insisted that this does not signify approval of the plans submitted. In 2012, MEPA had issued an enforcement notice against the illegal use of a farmhouse as a restaurant. The owners deny that that the farmhouse is being used as a restaurant, insisting that they only use it for private func- tions. MaltaToday is informed that some of the tenants are objecting to the project, which would be lo- cated on church land transferred to the state under the church state agreement. The land itself, in the vicin- ity of the Bir Miftuh chapel, was included in the extension of the development boundaries of 2006, introduced by the Nationalist ad- ministration. Anton Scicluna, owner of the restaurant which, according to him, caters only for private functions, is seeking the Malta Environment and Planning Au- thority's green light to designate guidelines for a 'tourism develop- ment' he wants built on the sur- rounding fields which he has at Dawret il-Gudja. The Sciclunas' plans envision a mixed-use commercial building, which includes "touristic orient- ed activities" over two f loors, and a semi-basement on part of the site. 40% of the site will be kept undeveloped. The application refers to the development of a Class 3A devel- opment (guesthouses) and 3C de- velopment (leisure activities like gyms and theatres). The develop- ment would also include a picnic area and a parking area. A government spokesperson also clarified that the signature and stamp of the former Govern- ment Property Division's Direc- tor General, Raymond Camilleri, on plans submitted by the owner of an irregularly developed res- taurant to develop tourism facili- ties in Gudja, do not signify ap- proval by the government for the project. The stamp by the Government Property Division on planning control applications like this one, which set the parameters for fu- ture development, is "meant to show that the GPD gives its con- sent to the private developer to apply for a MEPA permit, without prejudice to the outcome", the spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister told MaltaToday. The government spokesperson also insisted that obtaining a ME- PA Permit on government-owned land would not give the applicant "any automatic advantage on oth- er bidders in an eventual call for tenders" and "does not exclude any third person from submitting and eventually winning a tender". JAMES DEBONO AT least three different plan- ning applications have been proposed in the past weeks pro- posing a ninth f loor in different areas along Tower Road and The Strand in Sliema, where only eight f loors are allowed. The applications have been filed in the wake of persistent rumours that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority is consider- ing a relaxation of height limita- tions which would allow an ex- tra storey along the Sliema front where present policies limit de- velopment to eight storeys. Asked specifically whether the MEPA is considering changes to building heights in specific areas like the Sliema and Gzira prom- enades, a MEPA spokesperson replied that "no specific area has been excluded from considera- tion" in the current revision of local plans. The building heights policy approved in 2014 already fore- sees medium rise development on 4,000 square metre sites sur- rounded by existing streets. The maximum height allowed in these areas is twice the local plan limitation but fewer than 10 sto- reys. But none of the applications presented in the past weeks falls under the parameters of this policy. One application proposes an "additional f loor on the 8th f loor" on a recently approved block in Triq ix-Xatt and Triq Lunzjata along the Strand. Another appli- cation proposed by Edgar Tabone foresees a receded ninth f loor on an existing Tower Road block op- posite Ghar id-Dud. Sonnet Investments, whose sole director is Ian Decesare, is pro- posing a sixth, seventh, eight, ninth and penthouse level f loors on another block in Triq ix-Xatt in the vicinity of Bisazza Street. The technical preparation of the draft local plans had to be completed by June 2015. But ME- PA has recently confirmed that it has "no fixed date set for comple- tion" of the new local plans. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt News pensions newspaper ad.indd 12 22/02/2016 10:27 AM Nine floors proposed on three sites in Sliema Present local plans limit development at the Strand and Tower Road to eight floors but developers are asking for an extra floor amidst rumours of an impending policy change raising height limits along the front A relaxation of height limitations could pave the way for an extra storey along the Sliema front which is currently limited to eight storeys No government approval for Gudja development Irregular restaurant at Dawret il-Gudja is located on land leased for agricultural purposes Plans earmarking a request for development zoning which include the GPD stamp