Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/734031
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 OCTOBER 2016 13 Back in 2003 the PA had car- ried out a study to assess sea grasses around the coast, con- firming the presence of the dense posidonia meadows in the vicinity. This "benthic" study said the Qaliet area contained the common ribbon-like seaweed known as dictyopteris polypodi- oides while "continuous Posido- nia oceanica meadows on sand" were found in the vicinity of the proposed reclaimed area. The PA's spokesperson said that the area where the land reclamation is being proposed is not protected by any designa- tion, but confirmed that it is ad- jacent to the marine special area of conservation. Photomontages published in the proposed master plan also show coastal development at Portomaso completely over- shadowing the Dragonara ca- sino when viewed from Sliema. 'Guidelines' prevail over PA policy The Paceville master plan it- self claims that the "guidelines" for each of the nine develop- ment projects are "based on the high-level constraints and anal- ysis carried out as part of this master planning process". It will be the role of the St George's Regeneration Corpo- ration to ensure that proposals are are aligned to the vision for Paceville as a prime coastal lo- cation in Malta. The guidelines, which include land reclama- tion at Portomaso "will prevail over other existing policies and guidelines". The PA, which has published all the submissions made by the public during the first consulta- tion period, received no written submissions with regard to land reclamation at Portomaso. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt part of the ecosystem and is found only in the Mediter- ranean, where it is in decline, occupying an area of only about 3% of the basin. Posidonia grows best in clean waters, and its pres- ence is a marker of a lack of pollution. Seagrasses are responsible for 12% of the carbon stored in ocean sediments and play a significant role in the regu- lation of the global carbon cycle. In daylight, Posidonia oceanica meadows help oxy- genate coastal waters. FAA objects to Bilom development JAMES DEBONO FLIMKIEN Ghal Ambjent Ahjar is objecting to a proposed develop- ment encroaching on a Grade 2 historical building in Mrabat Street, Sliema, known as 'The Cloisters', warning that this risks changing the context in which the building stands. The Bilom Group wants to build an apartment block encroaching on the gardens behind the protected building, which is set to be convert- ed into a boutique hotel. The six-floor terraced develop- ment fronts Triq Bonaventura and Triq is-Sorijiet, near the Convent of the Sacred Heart. FAA has warned the Planning Authority against misinterpreting a policy included in the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Develop- ment (SPED), which recommends a "flexible" approach to building heights in urban conservation areas (UCAs). FAA warned this call for flexibility on building heights in village cores should not be used to justify addi- tional floors in urban historic cores, because it would create "a modern sub-city hovering above our historic centres". The environmental NGO said Bilom's building does not comple- ment the character of the historic core, instead introducing a "large- scale development overshadowing the historic area in which it is set". The FAA also objected to the de- velopment of the historic garden, which would result in the "loss of one of the few remaining green open spaces in a congested and over-de- veloped urban area." It said these changes were in stark contrast to, and undermined the scheduled building's architectural context. But the PA's Design Advisory Committee (DAC) – a consultative committee that assesses the designs of new buildings – is not objecting, and instead wants a redesign of the façade on Mrabat Street so that it is respectful of existing facades. The DAC is composed of archi- tects Ray Demicoli and David Mal- lia, and art historian Charlene Vella. On its part, the Superintend- ence for Cultural Heritage wants amendments on the "treatment of the façade" and the "development above the scheduled building". The cultural watchdog also alerted the PA to the presence of World War II shelters in the property's immediate vicinity which may extend under its footprint. "In the absence of appro- priate amendments, the application should not be approved," the Super- intendence said.