The PA Board has indicated its intention to approve an application proposing the construction of a hotel, shops and 120 residential unit development, despite arguments over the interpretation of policy.
While the case officer had recommended refusal, the majority of board members indicated their intention to overturn the recommendation and approve the project, and thus a final vote will be taken at a later date.
Carmel Cacopardo, appearing on behalf of the local council, warned the board not to abuse its power, with PN MP Robert Cutajar later expressing concern over the project. Conversely, the PN board representative voted in favour of overturning the refusal recommendation.
The proposal consists of two basement levels and nine levels (including ground floor) above ground from one of the sides. The building is stepped and only a small part would be that high. The site consists of a vacant plot of land, having an area of approximately 3,680m² within and at the edge of the development zone in Mellieha. The site falls just off the roundabout leading vehicular traffic to either the Mellieha Centre (Triq il-Kbira) or to the Mellieha Bypass (Triq Louis Wettinger), the case officer's report read.
The site in question is fully zoned as a residential area on the local plan, the board heard. The planning directorate argued that a hotel can still be built on the site as Mellieha is a tourism locality, and thus such development is allowed through the flexibility policy."Following the approval of the 'Partial Review of Subsidiary Plans – General Policy relating to regeneration/consolidation Initiatives', on 4 February 2013, the Planning Directorate could take a broader look at the overall mixture and similar uses in this area but with a more flexible approach than that implied by the uses listed in the local plan," the case officer's report read. The applicant highlighted that the hotel will be for around 47 rooms.
Cacopardo argued against this. He highlighted that the council is objecting to the hotel proposed in the proposal, and said that the policy will not allow such development on that site. Arguing against the use of the flexibility policy in this case, he quoted from it saying that "the goal of this flexibility policy is not intended to supersede the general direction given by the specific policies in the local plan. So the flexibility policy does not mean going against the local plan."
Cacopardo said that the flexibility policy also does not allow for any height increase from the area, and thus the extra hotel height through the hotel specific policy (which would allow for an extra two floors on the hotel element of the project), cannot be applied. He argued that due to the residential zone, the hotel part of the project cannot be approved. He said that when applying the flexibility policy, the PA will be obliged to explain why they would depart from established policies to apply it, and that the policy must not be implemented if it is diametrically opposed to the main policy.
"Don't abuse your power," Cacopardo warned.
The local councils' representative on the board agreed with Cacopardo's statements, and backed the Planning Directorate's interpretation regarding the sloping of the height, however the majority of the board did not agree with this, and voted to overturn the case officer's refusal recommendation and approve the development.
PN MP Robert Cutajar also spoke during the meeting and said that the visual impact of the project is seen, and said that this project will also affect the infrastructure of the locality. He also said that the local council was going to use that site for some form of use for the citizens. He questioned whether the Traffic Impact Assessment took into consideration the hundreds of apartments set to be built just 200m away. He also asked about the social impact, adding that this project should be taken in consideration with the other projects in the area.
Cutajar had previously spoken out on this application, and told The Malta Independent that up until 2013 when he was Mayor for the locality, the plan for the local council was that this land be developed for the common good, for the residents of the locality. He said that it was going to be a project for the local council to be developed into a centre which could be used by NGOs within the locality and could also have opened new tourism niches. He noted that while there are many hotels in Mellieha, few cater for conferences of a certain level, and he said that he wanted to attract such niches. Till halfway through 2013, he said, this land was used as a park and ride whenever the local council organised major events.
Despite Cutajar's concerns, the PN member on the board, Marthese Portelli, voted in favour of overturning the refusal recommendation.
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2tI1dl1
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