The Planning Authority is processing an application for an 11-storey hotel development along Triq Guze Howard , one of Sliema’s narrowest streets.
Under the 2006 Local plans this street was only considered suitable for developments capped at 6 storeys. However through the controversial HEIGHT LIMITATION ADJUSTMENT POLICY FOR HOTELS introduced in 2014, hotels were given a carte blanche to increase as many floors as they wanted. The same policy was used to justify the ITS monstrosity.
Coupled with the additional 1 to 2 floors introduced in 2015 through the Development Control Design Policy, we find ourselves in this absurd situation where towering 11 storey hotels are being considered in narrow residential streets.
If approved, the 35m building will create a jarring 5-storey blank wall subjecting surrounding tenants to perpetual darkness, with all natural light and air completely shut out.
Guze Howard Street is barely 8m wide, and if the spirit of Sanitary Laws were to be respected, development here should be limited to 7 floors. Appallingly, even this most fundamental piece of legislation aimed at ensuring the most basic levels of sanitary conditions was also stripped of its effectiveness when last revised in 2016.
FAA noted that “the HEIGHT LIMITATION ADJUSTMENT POLICY FOR HOTELS was trumpeted as an aid for hoteliers to improve economic viability of the sector. What the PA failed to consider was that it would be residents paying the price.”
Additionally, despite proposing 94 suites, the hotelier will not provide a single parking space. Such an exorbitant increase in parking demands would cripple the already over-congested parking situation in this densely urbanized area.
Transport Malta has also raised its concerns about the development in this regard and demanded that parking be provided on site. TM warned that since parking is on the opposite side of the road, the alighting of guests to and from the proposed hotel would be impossible, affirming that “the area is not ideal for such development where no allocation for an alighting/boarding can be safely located.”
FAA insists that “No parking fee or penalty can make up for the severe shortfall and chaos this development will create. “Parking schemes have failed us as is evidently clear from the sad state of our roads. Attempting to park has for many become a daily hardship with cars circling endlessly, polluting the air and increasing traffic congestion in the process. Combining this with the excessive building height increase which will lock in the increased air pollution, and create dismal living conditions for these residents who are being forced to pay for the hoteliers’ gains”.
The various policy changes implemented over the past 4 years have enabled incremental relaxations to building height regulations resulting in over-development creating poor sanitary conditions through reduced light and air, overburdening of sewage and waste management facilities and gradually corroding the livability of our towns and villages.
Refer to PA/06128/18
