Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/869387
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2017 News 7 Racetrack lobby hits back at Church criticism 14-storey hotel set for approval in Sliema JAMES DEBONO THE Planning Authority is set to approve the demolition of the existing three-star Sliema Ho- tel which rises to eight floors, to make way for a new 14-sto- rey, four-star hotel. The sharp increase in height will be made possible thanks to three different policies approved in the past 12 years. The case officer is recommend- ing for approval the application proposed by Michael Stivala. The Planning Commission will take a final decision on Tuesday. The height limitation for the ar- ea is set at eight floors with semi- basement, which amounts to a building height of 35.5 m. Fur- ther to this, the local plan speci- fies that hotels located in this area may exceed that by a height of one floor, over and above the height limit specified in the Lo- cal Plan. Moreover another policy approved in 2014 regulating the height of hotels allows two ex- tra storeys over and above what is allowed in the local plan. This would have resulted in an 11-sto- rey building. But the latest planning guide- lines also translate height-in- storeys into height-in-metres in a way that two extra storeys on nine floors would result in an al- lowable height of 45.7 metres. In this case the 14 storeys are being compressed into 45.6 metres. The case officer's report does not refer to the policy regulating the application of the floor area ratio mechanism, which limits buildings over 10 floors to Tigné, Marsa, Mriehel, Paceville and St Paul's Bay, and obliges high-rise developers to compensate for in- creased height by creating public piazzas. This is because hotels are governed by a different height policy, which was approved in 2014. The number of guest rooms will increase from the current 70 to 152. To make up for the shortfall in parking provision of 10 parking spaces, a contribution of €20,964 to the PA's Commuted Parking Payment Scheme is being pro- posed. DENISE GRECH THE Malta Motorsport Fed- eration has come out against the Church's Environment Commis- sion's recommendations for tree- planting to replace any prospect of a new racetrack. The federation argued that a racetrack in Malta "is needed and necessary in our country both for sport and as a facility that can be used by driving instructors." The MMF said a racetrack would bring about greater edu- cational awareness on driving, an imperative move considering the number of fatalities on the road. The Ta' Qali racetrack's impor- tance was evident from the fact that both political parties en- dorsed the move in their electoral manifesto, the federation insisted. The Church's Environment Commission presented sugges- tions to the government on the en- vironment earlier this week, insist- ing that plans for a racetrack at Ta' Qali should be given up in favour of "planting more trees". "It is not enough to sugar-coat the racetrack project with 'edu- cational' aspects," said the Com- mission. "This is a site which has a great potential to have more trees planted on it, thus upgrading it as a prime recreational area for all Maltese families". Tree-planting propositions should also be incorporated into the government's €700 million road restructuring plan. "We ap- peal to Transport Malta not to regard a road just as a passage for vehicles but also as a passage for pedestrians who need to be in contact with nature in an urban environment," the Church com- mission said. "The Environment Commission is not convinced that enough ef- forts, skills and innovation have been resorted to in order to en- sure that trees in urban areas are safeguarded." The Church also criticised the current Development Notifica- tion Order (DNO) system, which currently allows development with minimum or no notification to the Planning Authority. "The fact that minimum public con- sultation is carried out does not augur well for the preservation of the relationship between people and trees." The Commission urged the Environment and Resources Authority to protect urban ar- eas "which have an impressive tree cover" under the Trees and Woodland Protection Regula- tions, arguing that these areas "give such streets their unmistak- able character". The Church's Commission also commended the government's commitment to improving the environment, while hoping that "more areas in the country are earmarked for afforestation". The suggestions were being pre- sented as part of the 'World Day of Prayer for the Care of Crea- tion', which takes place on Sep- tember 1 prior to a fully-fledged Church Nature Month. A mass in celebration of Nature Month will also be celebrated next Saturday at St John's Co-Ca- thedral and will be celebrated by Archbishop Charles Scicluna.