Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/769023
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 4 JANUARY 2017 News 6 ERA: Birgu home is strongly objectionable JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority is objecting to the building of an old people's home in Tal-Hawli valley in Vittoriosa, describing the proposal as being "strongly objectionable from an environmental point of view". The ERA reiterated objections presented by its predecessor, the Environment Protection Directorate, which had already objected to the take-up of land outside development bounda- ries and expressed concern about the negative impact on the protected valley. The application, proposed by St Paul Residential Homes Lim- ited, a company owned by devel- oper Joseph Gaffarena, is still being considered by the Plan- ning Authority. Contacted last month by Mal- taToday and asked whether he agrees with the proposal, Birgu mayor John Boxall described it as a double-edged sword. "Birgu has an ageing popula- tion and needs a home for the elderly. On the other hand we are very concerned about the protection of the valley," he said. While noting that the pro- posed home overlooks the scheduled area and is in the vicinity of the primary school, Boxall insisted that the council needs to discuss the issue before he takes a stand. The application was filed in September 2013 by Prof. Mark Brincat on behalf of St Paul Resi- dential Homes. Since then, Brincat has been substituted by Donald Magro as the applicant of the project, whose latest plans envision a four-storey building over two storeys of underground parking. Labour MP Charles Buhagiar, government-appointed chair- man of the Building Industry Consultative Council, is still listed as "project architect". In 1992, MEPA had refused an application to erect garages and stores on the site presently earmarked for the old people's home. Yet another St Julians townhouse to be demolished JAMES DEBONO THE Planning Authority's En- vironment and Planning Review Tribunal has acceded to applica- tions to demolish a traditional façade fronting Triq Birkirkara in St Julians, reversing three pre- vious decisions by the authority to preserve the façade of the old 19th century townhouse. The first application to demol- ish the entire building, including its façade, was rejected in 2000. In 2012 the PA approved an ap- plication to redevelop the build- ing on condition that the façade was retained. In 2015 an application by Inez Zampa, a director of Blokrete Limited, to demolish the façade was rejected but this decision has now been re- versed by the ap- peals tribunal, which has the final say. The appeals tri- bunal is composed of planner Mar- tin Saliba, former Labour candidate Simon Micallef Stafrace and pri- vate architect and Freeport chairman Robert Sarsero. The three storey building which will now be entirely de- molished and re- placed by a seven storey block, is characterised by traditional architectural features similar to other buildings in the same street. The internal features of the building have already been demolished. The developer ar- gues that the use of travertine covering for the new façade was necessary because of the heav y pollu- tion in the area. Back in 2012 the PA's internal heritage watchdog, the Heritage Advisory Committee (HAC), had strongly objected to the demolition of the building, which it wanted preserved in its entirety. But in 2015 the same commit- tee composed of different mem- bers and chaired by Magistrate Denis Montebello, gave the go ahead to the demolition of the façade because of the precedent created by a permit for the dem- olition of an adjacent building issued in November 2013. The committee insisted that it was only doing so "regretfully" so that no applicant feels "severely prejudiced." But the committee still object- ed to the use of contemporary architecture and called on the architects to present a design which respects the surrounding architecture. Since no such de- signs were presented, the PA de- cided to turn down the permit. But in the latest twist the ap- peals tribunal has ruled in fa- vour of the applicants, arguing that the contemporary design complements that of an adjacent building and the demolition of the façade is necessary to im- prove safe access to the build- ing's underground garage. Triq Birkirkara, which falls out- side the St Julians urban conser- vation area but which includes various historical townhouses, has been the target of developers for the past several years. On 10 January the Planning Authority will be taking a decision on an application to demolish another 19th century townhouse to make way for seven duplex apartments, proposed by Clifton Grima. The house has a unique, three-arched entrance porch and a rubble wall separating the garden from the street. The Planning Authority's case officer recommended the demolition because the building is not inside the urban conser- vation area (UCA) and because the height of the new building respects 2015 design guidelines. ERA is objecting the proposed construction of an old people's home in a rural area, outside development zones The 19th century building will be replaced by a seven storey apartment block (inset)