[WATCH] Sliema council protests as cafes eat up more parking spaces

Sliema's local council has protested against the Planning Authority's steady stream of approval of tables and chairs on the pavements outside cafes and restaurants by the Sliema coast.

Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop warned that some of the restaurant extensions are being built over parking spaces, adding to the town's already notorious parking problem.

The problem stems from a recent policy aimed at encouraging café and restaurant owners to place tables and chairs on platforms outside their establishments. However, the council has accused the Planning Commission of misinterpreting the policy – which states that the removal of parking spaces will be ‘considered’ - as allowing a blanket approval for all applicants.

Indeed, since the policy was approved, 12 parking spaces have been removed through the granting of permits to five establishments by the Strand and Tower Road – including La Cuccagna, Table One, Black Gold, and the soon-to-be-opened Zebra Health Centre. 

Photo by James Bianchi/MediaToday

The Planning Authority will in the coming weeks also rule on whether to sanction the tables and chairs that have already been set outside illegally by two other establishments – Amy’s Snack Bar and Margaret Island. No permit application has so far been rejected, and neither the Environment and Resources Authority nor Transport Malta have evaluated the applications from a traffic or parking perspective.

“The policy states that, in the absence of objections, the Planning Authority should grant establishments the permit. However, while the council is trying its best to keep track of the cases and object to them, it is a strain on our financial and human resources,” Chircop said. “We have nothing against business, but they shouldn’t occupy places that are being used by the public.”

In October 2016, the Sliema Planning Authority file contained plans for 177 new units spread out over 72 different sites which in view of a lack of onsite parking will create a predicted shortfall of 184 parking spaces.

“In just one month, the authority has evaluated an unsustainable additional demand for 184 parking spaces, and in the same breath it is removing existing parking spaces,” Chircop said.

Moreover, the Sliema councillors warned that the proliferation of tables and chairs on the pavement is an impediment to pedestrians, forcing them to walk on the stretch of the Strand where cars often speed up when traffic is low.

The Sliema Council will therefore appeal all the applications which were granted a permit in front of the Environment and Review Tribunal. Moreover, it has written to parliamentary secretary for planning Deborah Schembri to request that she suspend all pending applications, until a sustainability study is carried out on the removal of parking spaces in residential streets.

‘Allocate percentage of income from permits to local councils’ - PD

The newly-created Partit Demokratiku was quick to react, calling on the Planning Authority to allocate a percentage of their income from these permits to local councils.

“The boom in the number of outlets and catering establishments in the past few years has led to a revival of our towns and villages. It is unfortunate however that, as in much that is done in this country, this scheme is being poorly executed,” PD said in a statement. “The needs and subsequent inconvenience to the residents in the affected localities are not being taken into consideration.”