Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/858250
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 AUGUST 2017 6 News JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Resources Authority is objecting to the relo- cation of am urban petrol station's licence on Valley Road, Msida to Mdina Road, Attard. The proposal involves the con- struction of a fuel service station, auto-gas filling facilities, a car wash facility, tyre service garage, two charging stations for electric vehi- cles, an ATM facility, three retail units including a diner, an office, underground storage areas and an underground parking space on a 3,000 square metre site on the Ra- bat road, between the existing pet- rol station and the small chapel. Five Aleppo pine trees will have to be removed to accommodate safe entry and exit to the site, which con- sists of abandoned agricultural land and is located 395 metres from the nearest existing petrol station, on the opposite side of Triq l-Imdina. The present policy states that the PA should not allow a new fuel ser- vice station within 500m of an ex- isting service station located "in the same direction of traffic", but may consider fuel service stations on the opposite side of the road from an existing service station "if it can be demonstrated that traffic on the op- posite lane cannot easily access it". The proponent, Ludwig Camilleri, already has a pending application for a cemetery in the same area, which is still pending but is prob- ably doomed because ODZ cem- eteries are overruled by a policy ap- proved in 2014. The site in Attard was the third one to be considered by Camill- eri for the relocation of a kerbside fuel service station in Valley Road, Msida, which was decommissioned in 2014. The licence was transferred by Edgar Borg & Sons Limited to Luqa Developments Limited, a company owned by Ludwig Camilleri, in March 2014. The new policy per- mitting the relocation of fuel sta- tions in the ODZ was approved a year later. In the project development state- ment submitted to the PA, Camill- eri claims that he had begun the search for a suitable relocation site in late 2013, and alternatives in San Gwann and Salini had already been considered – the former discounted by MEPA due to the archaeologi- cal sensitivity of the area, while the latter was abandoned after a MEPA screening letter highlighting a num- ber of issues pointing to its unsuit- ability. In its own screening report, the ERA said the EIA studies for the proposed petrol station are "sec- ondary" to the overriding objec- tion to the development as a whole, which encroaches beyond the de- velopment zone boundary onto a rural area. The ERA said there is no valid jus- tification for further loss of unde- veloped rural land and the associat- ed environmental impacts. "There is also significant concern regard- ing the cumulative environmental impact caused by the numerous ad hoc proposals for petrol stations currently being proposed on ODZ land." A policy approved in 2015 allows the relocation of existing petrol stations to ODZ sites. While the PA has recently in- voked the policy to approve a brand new petrol station in Bur- marrad, the Attard petrol station would be the first relocated petrol station to be assessed under the new policy. JAMES DEBONO A second application to add five storeys to the 16-storey '14 East' tower in Gzira, on the site of the former United Garage, is being recommended for approval by the Planning Authority's plan- ning directorate. The planning directorate is ig- noring objections by conserva- tionists Din l-Art Helwa and the Gzira local council. In its report the directorate tells the developers to make an extra contribution of €2,807 to fund environmental and urban improvement projects, traffic management, green transport and similar projects in Gzira, in return for the green light on the five new storeys. The total "planning gain" for the whole 21-storey project will now amount to €32,527.45. The PA's board is expected to take a decision on 31 August. The five new floors will make room for five new residential apartments. In a submission to the author- ity Din l-Art Helwa expressed concern that at 16 storeys the building was already creating a negative visual impact on the area. DLH also asked how an ap- proved high-rise building, which applied the floor area ratio, can extend further than the original intent whilst retaining the same footprint. But the architect of the project replied that the proposed devel- opment is already entitled to a floor space of 8,107 square me- tres, which will now be fully uti- lised. The PA's Design Advisory Committee, which includes with- in it architect Ray Demicoli – and himself an architect involved in other high-rise developments – noted "that the additional height will contribute to improve the proportion of the building." However the committee ac- knowledged that "the scale of the building has certainly made a presence in the skyline and long range views". But it also deemed the architectural treatment as commendable and praised the "structural expression of cross bracing on the facade, which gives an interesting dynamic look". The Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage also gave its bless- ing to the project, concluding that the project will not impact negatively on Valletta views. The Gzira local council object- ed to this development, noting that this project alone has taken approximately 40 parking spaces from the public, whilst the area around it, which is packed with shops and houses, has had to do with excessive dust and debris. "Road closures due to this pro- ject have already led to a loss in revenue for a number of shops who have approached the local council to complain," the council said. It also noted that the skyline has already been negatively af- fected and "now looks distorted from any angle one looks at it." No wind studies were carried out when the original 16-storey development was approved. But the study concludes that the pre- dicted wind microclimate within and around the proposed devel- opment is not expected to be al- tered significantly following the addition of five storeys as a part of the proposed design. But "oc- casional strong winds exceeding 90kph are expected to occur near the south-west and north-east corners of the tower," according to the report. The case officer report ac- knowledges that long distance views from Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir and Hastings at Valletta and the Sliema Ferries indicate that "the proposed tall building is visually prominent". However, it also noted that the proposed building integrates with the urban form and skyline of the area, particularly when considering the already approved Metropolis Plaza project in Triq Testaferrata and the develop- ment potential of further high- rise buildings in Gzira. 'The scale of the building has certainly made a presence in the skyline and long range views' Malta Union of Educators The Malta Union of Educators – MUE Interim Admin Committee invites educators to send feedback and suggestions via e-mail on: maltaunionofeducators@gmail.com All e-mails received will be treated with the strictest confidentiality. E-mail us and give us your views! Interim Admin Committee Malta Union of Educators - MUE Just €2,807 for extra storeys on Gzira tower More petrol pumps… this one would be just 400m away from the Attard petrol station ERA objects to Mdina road petrol station