Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/817563
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 30 APRIL 2017 News JAMES DEBONO MARCO Gaffarena, the property entrepreneur implicated in the Old Mint Street scandal, has been awarded a permit to build seven apartments and two garages in- stead of a corner townhouse and a shop in Manuel Dimech Street, Sliema. The redevelopment was ap- proved thanks to new policy guidelines which give the Plan- ning Authority flexibility in es- tablishing building heights in the Urban Conservation Area. In this case the development will be one storey higher than allowed by the local plan. In May 2013 Gaffarena bought the two-storey Sliema townhouse. Then in April 2015 he was given the shop beneath the house as part-payment for the controver- sial expropriation of his 50% own- ership of a Valletta palazzo on Old Mint Street which housed govern- ment offices. The controversial expropriation and values which enabled him to acquire new property, became the subject of a National Audit Of- fice inquiry and an investigation by the Internal Audit and Inves- tigations Department, that led to the resignation of then planning parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon. The Government Property Di- vision had valued the shop at €65,000, because it was not a free- hold property. Yet the rights to property ownership were due to expire in the next year. The shop was requested by Gaffarena since it was government-owned and was beneath the property he had acquired, as a part-payment for the expropriation of the Old Mint Street share he owned. In 2007, Gaffarena – who was not yet the owner – had filed a development application to de- molish the building to construct apartments with underlying ga- rages. MEPA refused the permit in 2012. The latest application proposes the internal demolition of the ex- isting townhouse, the retention of the entrance hall, the restoration of both front and side elevation, and the addition of two floors and a set back floor. The property presently consists of an imposing corner townhouse, built in an eclectic architectural style combining classical and baroque elements typical of the late 19th century. The develop- ment was given the blessing of the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage because as proposed the development will "preserve the facade, integrate the balcony and apertures as well as the entrance hall". The Local Plan designates the height limitation for the site as four floors on Triq Manuel Di- mech and two floors on Triq San Gwann Battista. But as approved the proposal consists of five floors on Triq Manuel Dimech, which will be stepped down to two floors and three floors on Triq San Gwann Battista. The highest floor in both cases will be set back. Height limitations are now sub- ject to SPED Policy UO2.3, which advocates "a contextual approach towards controlling building heights" within Urban Conserva- tion Areas and by DC15 Policy P4 which requires that proposals comply "with the existing com- mitted prevailing height. In recommending Gaffarena's application the directorate noted that on the opposite side of Triq San Gwann Battista one finds two buildings having a height of five floors, one of which has a set back floor. DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE APP FROM DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE APP FROM Android is a registered trademark of Google Inc. Android is a registered trademark of Google Inc. everyday banking made easy 2131 2020 I bov.com Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130 Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130 With Bank of Valletta you can conveniently manage your financial transactions and banking needs wherever you are, whenever you want. BOV Mobile allows you to easily pay anyone from your mobile phone. Terms and conditions apply. Terms and conditions apply. BOV MOBILE Gaffarena gets permit for Sliema apartment block Marco Gaffarena bought the two- storey Sliema townhouse in 2013 and was then given the shop beneath as part-payment for the controversial Valletta expropriation in 2015