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MT 20 JULY 2016

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4 JAMES DEBONO AN application has been pre- sented for the construction of four dwellings and underlying garages in an ODZ hamlet in Triq Santu Rokku in Kalkara de- spite four prior refusals by the Planning Authority for develop- ment on the same 1,400m2 site. The area is in the vicinity of the Wied Rinella valley and forms part of an Area of Ecolog- ical Importance, enjoying Level 4 protection – a level of protec- tion accorded to buffer zones to areas enjoying a higher level of protection. The local plan includes a "pre- sumption against new develop- ment" in this rural hamlet. The application, presented by auto dealer Norbert Bellia who owns the land in question, fore- sees development of four new dwellings constructed over a ground f loor level and one over- lying storey on what is presently agricultural land which also in- cludes a number of trees. The Planning Authority has already refused an application for the construction of two resi- dences and underlying garages presented by Bellia on the same site in February 2015. The proposal is located in the Santu Rokku hamlet, which ac- cording to the PA's Planning Directorate is one of the "few remaining relatively unspoilt traditional agricultural commu- nities". When refusing the previ- ous application the case officer insisted that only the rehabilita- tion and upgrading of existing buildings could be allowed in this hamlet. Architect Robert Musumeci, who represents Bellia in both the current and in a previous application, argued that the proposal should be considered in view of commitments on ad- jacent sites and in view that the development is being proposed in an "infill site" between two older dwellings, thus filling the area between two blank party walls. The site in question lies be- tween two dwellings fronting Triq Santu Rokku but the pro- posed development also extends into agricultural land, which goes deeper into the countryside than any of the existing build- ings. The same application had been refused in December 2012 but was re-assessed following the approval of the new rural design guidelines. But the case officer argued that the only kind of development, which can be proposed in this area, is a single farmhouse for an arable farmer. Two separate ap- plications to construct two ter- raced houses presented by other applicants were also refused in 2010. maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 JULY 2016 News għall-Kunsill tal-Unjoni Presidenza Maltija Ewropea 2017 SEJĦA GĦALL-OFFERTI SERVIZZI AWDJO-VIŻIVI U INTERPRETAZZJONI SIMULTANJA PRESIDENZA MALTIJA GĦALL-KUNSILL TAL-UNJONI EWROPEA 2017 Is-Segretarjat Parlamentari għall-Presidenza tal-UE 2017 ħdan il-Ministeru għall-Aarijiet Ewropej u l-Implimentazzjoni tal-Programm Elettorali javża li ħarġet sejħa għall-oerti għall-provvista u tħaddim ta' apparat awdjo-viżiv u interpretazzjoni simultanja waqt konferenzi li se jittellgħu matul il-Presidenza ta' Malta tal-Kunsill tal-UE 2017 Id-dokumenti jistgħu jitniżżlu minn fuq is-sit www.etenders.gov.mt Four new dwellings proposed in Kalkara ODZ hamlet The proposed development in the vicinity of Wied Rinella valley forms part of an Area of Ecological Importance JAMES DEBONO AN elegant townhouse set on Victoria Avenue in Sliema may be redeveloped into a multi-storey guesthouse. Plans submitted to the Planning Authority envision three extra storeys on the town house front- ing Triq Gorg Borg Olivier and five new f loors on Triq Sir Luigi Camilleri. Although the façade will be re- tained residents fear a change in the streetscape in a particular part of Sliema which is still char- acterised by two storey buildings, with the exception of a corner development which rises to six f loors. In fact plans submitted to the PA also refer to potential neigh- bour development of the same height even if no such applica- tions have been presented yet. Although designated as part of Sliema's urban conservation area the local plan approved in 2006 allows five-f loor developments in this particular part of Sliema. But the local plan itself states that "additional f loors" should not "detract from the architectural homogeneity" of existing build- ings. The Planning Authority had re- jected an application to retain the façade and to construct a receded apartment block on an adjacent twin property in 2003. The two townhouses are nearly identical, having been constructed in the same period. Sliema is currently facing an on- slaught of applications seeking to redevelop townhouses located in rows of two-storey developments. Another townhouse on Sir Adrian Dingli Street designed by architect Gustavo R. Vincenti is also being proposed for redevel- opment with three new storeys and a penthouse being proposed on top of the two storey façade. The project, which would retain the façade, is being proposed by Karkanja Developments Limited. The townhouse is adjacent to an unfinished apartment block on one side and to a row of two storey houses on the other. The PA has recently approved a resto- ration project on a neighbouring townhouse built in a similar style and described by the case officer as "an eclectic one" inf luenced by the European Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles and the Scottish William Morris Arts and Crafts Movement. Guesthouse set to change another Sliema streetscape Although the façade of the house in Victoria Avenue will be retained residents fear a change in the streetscape which is still characterised by two storey buildings The townhouse on Sir Adrian Dingli Street is being proposed for redevelopment with three new storeys and a penthouse being proposed on top of the two storey façade

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