In spite of politicians’ promises, eNGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) feels obliged to remind politicians that Malta’s well-being can be only achieved through sustainable development and the protection of open spaces. Ongoing construction is producing dusty, noisy, unliveable neighbourhoods, causing an alarming rate of respiratory diseases and killing people in the rubble of their own houses, while the PA continues to issue permits which violate PA regulations, destroying iconic skylines, open landscapes and bays.
The Panorama Hotel development is a case in point. This project is the touchstone for the promises made by Prime Minister Robert Abela about the aesthetics and sustainability of new building projects, about safeguarding the skylines of our villages and last but not least about respecting the rights of residents.
The Planning Authority should be making sure that large buildings provide enough spaces for onsite parking, promoting green roofs and facades, the obligatory collection and re-use of rain water, insulation and solar systems. Instead, the Planning Authority Boards and Committee are still using flimsy pretexts to approve applications that violate regulations which are fundamental to the planning process and to national sustainability.
Since the Panorama Hotel is built on a ridge edge, the Hotel Limitation Adjustment Policy does not apply to it. The proposal, objected to by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the Environmental Health Directorate and Mellieha Local Council, clearly runs counter to the Development Control Design Policy 2015, which specifies that a building shall not exceed the permissible height and that large expanses of blank rear and party walls are not acceptable for development on ridge edges. The extra height requested will hide iconic Mellieħa church from some viewpoints while exposed blank party walls will ruin long-distance views of Mellieħa. The application violates the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) Urban Objective 3 re the protection and enhancement of the area`s character. Any new development has to fit into the urban setting, not be a long-term burden for local infrastructure or an eyesore for local residents and visitors to Għadira. The Panorama Hotel is demanding an extra floor when it already exceeds the permissible height, yet in spite of all the above, the Planning Authority Board has announced its intention to overturn the Case Officer’s recommendation and grant the permit this week, a fact that FAA roundly condemns.
FAA appeals to politicians to keep their promises of protection for residents and respect for aesthetics of our built environment. Preservation of Malta’s skylines and landscapes will pay off in the long-term and be beneficial for the country. To quote the Prime Minister “Let’s go for intelligent development which does not ruin the country.”
The FAA Committee
