Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/715731
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 17 AUGUST 2016 7 JAMES DEBONO PHOTOMONTAGES show- ing the impact of the Mriehel high-rise on sensitive views like that from the Mdina bastions or Hastings Garden in Valletta were taken using a 25mm wide angle in contrast to guidelines issued by the Planning Authority, which recommend the use of a 50mm lens. During last week's meeting Daniel Cilia, a photographer speaking on behalf of objectors, said the photomontages present- ed had been taken with a wide- angle lens, which made objects appear more distant than they do to the human eye. He also presented photos from the same viewpoints that more accurately replicated what people would actually see, showing the visual impact significantly mag- nified. The Environment Impact As- sessment on the Mriehel project, which included the photomon- tages taken with a 25mm lens, was published in October 2015. The circular recommending the use of a 50mm lens was issued by the Planning Authority on 25 No- vember, 2015 just weeks after the EIA on Mriehel was published. This means that the circular was not applicable when the EIA was presented but was already in force when the application was brought in front of the PA board for a decision. Environmental NGOs present for the meeting had called on the board to postpone the decision until new photomontages were prepared. But their demand was turned down. The circular issued by the PA specifies that when present- ing photomontages showing the impact of particular projects on long distance views a "high quality digital SLR camera with a full frame sensor and a 50mm fixed focal length camera lens is used". According to the circular the "use of a 28mm fixed focal length camera lens shall only be permitted in very particular cir- cumstances". Moreover 75mm single frame images (recalibrated from the 50mm images) are required for the visual impact assessment of panoramic views when these are presented to a wider audience Cilia's argument was supported by Environment and Resources Authority chairman Victor Axi- ak, who in a written submission said he had personally visited the Mdina viewpoint and found the actual view was different to that seen in the photographs. Axiak was indisposed and did not attend the meeting which decided for the high-rise towers, but had sent a memo to board member Timmy Gambin which was read during the meeting. Comments sent by Axiak on the impact of the Townsqaure pro- ject in Sliema, which was also discussed on the same day, were not read. During the meeting FAA co- ordinator Astrid Vella had also questioned why photos were tak- en from Hastings and not from the Barrakka where the impact on views towards Mdina would have been more marked. The Environmental Impact Assessment concluded that the impact on views from Hast- ings was moderate. The report found no significant impacts on long-distance views, including Mdina and Siggiewi, while the only major impact was from a popular rural walking route in the vicinity. No photomontages of views from nearby locations like Fleur de Lys were submitted in the EIA. Mriehel had been in- cluded as a high-rise zone by the government after the closure of the public consultation period and despite the fact that Mriehel lies in the line of vision between Mdina and Valletta. News PA board member Timmy Gambin denies Townsquare conflict of interest MATTHEW VELLA PLANNING Authority board member Timmy Gambin has de- nied any conf lict of interest in relation to the controversial sky- scraper development in Sliema. Gambin has acted as a consult- ant to the Gasan-Tumas business groups, which forms part of the ElectroGas consortium tasked with building the Delimara LNG plant. The Gasan business group is the proponent of Sliema's 38-sto- rey Townsquare high-rise de- velopment, which the MEPA board – of which Gambin is a government-appointed member – approved by a slight one vote majority. In a right of reply sent by the Planning Authority, Gambin said he had "absolutely no involve- ment with the Environmental Impact Assessments of the said applications" and that "claims that I may have had a conf lict of interest and/or been involved in any unethical procedures in these particular cases are com- pletely unfounded." Gambin, a marine archaeolo- gist, said that PA board members were allowed to keep their private consultancies and practices, and that he had declared his involve- ment in EIAs to the PA board. "When acting as an independ- ent EIA consultant I deal strictly with the EIA coordinator and not with the applicant," he said. Gambin has come under fire for having failed to read out a memo written by Environment Re- sources Authority chairman Vic- tor Axiak during the PA board's meeting on the Townsquare project, which Axiak was unable to attend due to having been in hospital. "Prof. Axiak made it amply clear that I would be under no obligation whatsoever to use and/or communicate any and/ or all of its contents during the public hearing. This stance was confirmed in subsequent clarifi- cations sent by Prof. Axiak to the press." Gambin also said that ERA members present at the PA board meeting "had every right to com- ment on any issues that may have been deemed to have any form of bearing on the discussions." The Sunday Times of Malta reported that Axiak expressed negative comments about the controversial Sliema high-rise project in the memo. After first ruling out an appeal, Axiak has now said he was con- sidering whether the ERA should appeal the decision on the Sliema tower. The Sliema local council, the Church Environment Commis- sion, Alternattiva Demokratika, the Nationalist Party and the Democratic Party have all called for an appeal. Timmy Gambin has denied any conflict of interest Mriehel high-rise photomontages in breach of PA circular Photomontage of view of towers from Hastings Garden in Valletta as submitted in EIA, using a 25mm wide-angle (top), as compared to the one taken by Daniel Cilia using a 50mm lens (bottom)