Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/803478
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 MARCH 2017 8 News New rules allow 'summary' demolition of Gzira townhouse ERA against regularisation of Saghtrija illegalities JAMES DEBONO A characteristic townhouse in Gzi- ra is to be demolished to make way for the construction of 12 apart- ments over six floors and a pent- house, with only the ground floor's façade will be retained. The building in the corner be- tween Triq L-Empire Stadium and Triq San Gorg lies outside Gzira's urban conservation area and was therefore exempt from a full plan- ning process. The application was approved in 42 days. According to rules approved last year, blocks of up to 16 apartments on such sites are now subject to the new "summary procedure", which shortens the period of pub- lic consultation from three to two weeks and eliminates the need of a public hearing and a full case of- ficer report. In this case, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage was still con- sulted and gave its blessing to the building's demolition. The application claims that the new building will be built in the same "architectural grammar" of the original building. But heritage watchdog Din l-Art Helwa still objected to the pro- posal, insisting that the proposal should have been modified to re- tain the existing building fabric and the retention of the whole fa- cade. The development will result in a shortfall of 13 parking spaces. THE Environment and Resources Authority is objecting to the regu- larisation of various illegal struc- tures at the Sagħtrija residential complex in Zebbug, Gozo, saying this would increase the sprawl of the built-up footprint on undevel- oped land. Gozitan entrepreneur Joseph Portelli, one of the Sagħtrija own- ers, has applied to regu- larise a number of illegal structures which include a 38 sq.m chapel, a 36 sq.m stable, a 13 sq.m sheep pen, a 23 sq.m chicken coop and a 36 sq.m kitchenette. The ERA said regu- larisation would have adverse, cumulative en- vironmental impacts in- cluding "the scattering of structures which could have easily been located within designated urban areas". According to ERA "the safeguarding of rural areas' distinctiveness should be sought by controlling the cumula- tive effect of development". In total the application seeks to regularise a total of 154 sq.m of il- legal development. Ħal Sagħtrija is a residential project developed by Menfi Ltd, a consortium of Maltese and Gozi- tan companies, which includes Adrian Buttigieg, Alfred Mangion, Joseph Portelli and Gozitan MP Franco Mercieca who chairs par- liament's environmental commit- tee. When quizzed on his business relationship with Portelli – who has an interest in developing one of Paceville's new high-rise struc- tures – amidst controversy on the Paceville masterplan which was being discussed by parliament's environment committee which he chairs, Mercieca declared that his involvement in Menfi started in 2010, way before he even con- sidered entering the political envi- ronment. "It only has one project, which is in Gozo [Ħal Sagħtrija, a 13-tumolo development]. The permit was issued before this gov- ernment, under the Nationalists. It was all above board; I declared it in my declaration of assets". The Sagħtrija complex consists of 75 luxury apartments perched on the Zebbug hill. The construction outside de- velopment zones at Ta' Sagħtrija was approved in 2009 in a vote in which three board members, including present Environment Planning Commission chairman Elizabeth Ellul, had voted against. An example of the illegalities on site include this chapel, which entrepreneur Joseph Portelli now wants regularised