Roads to get green light for massive Madliena villa extension

A road network is about to be approved for the upcoming development of villas over 50,000sq.m of agricultural land inside the village of Madliena.

The Planning Authority will give the green light to over 6,200sq.m of new roads, and just 1,885sq.m of public open space for the zoning of the villa project, which land is owned by Sciclunas Estates, the holding company of the Marquis Marcus Marshall and Baroness Christiane Ramsay Pergola.

A heritage site in which cart ruts are found is also indicated in plans submitted for the road development. But the zoning application does not include details of the residential development actually being proposed on the site, which is the size of seven football pitches.

Residents objecting to the development, insist that the zoning application should set parameters for all development, to avoid a piecemeal approach.

The application states that development is based on a specific policy for the site included in the local plan back in 2006. A final decision will be taken by the PA’s Executive Council on 17 November, after the case officer recommended approval.

The site, bordered by Triq il-Madliena, Triq Esprit Barthet, Triq in-Nafra and Triq il-Militar is designated in the local plan as the “Central Madliena Opportunity Site”.

The Swieqi local council objected to the zoning application, insisting on “a clear picture of what will be built around the proposed roads”. But the 2016 application foreseeing the residential development was withdrawn by the applicant.

Originally the plan was withdrawn following strong opposition by residents of the surrounding neighbourhoods and a negative report by the case officer, who concluded that as proposed the development did not respect the parameters set by the local plan in terms of layout, typology, density, amenity space and public access and landscaped space. Moreover, the case officer also insisted that a zoning application for road works was required prior to the approval of the project.

The site was extensively quarried in the past to create terracing for agricultural use, and includes a system of retaining walls (dwarf walls) which according to heritage authorities merits preservation and integration. The site also includes scheduled cart-ruts, as well as the belvedere, path and water fountain which were to be preserved and integrated into the proposed development.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage wants these features to be preserved, and called for a survey of existing wells and cisterns. The Madliena chapel, built in the late 19th century, is located just outside the development footprint and the SCH has called for a buffer zone to protect the chapel.

The site is developable because it was included in both the 1988 temporary building plans and in the 2006 local plan, limited to “low-density and high quality residential development” and developed in a “comprehensive manner”.

For instance, only detached two-storey villa development with a site coverage of 30% is permissible at the edge of the site. Higher density dwellings – as much as four units in each block – can be permitted towards the centre of the site, providing they integrate with existing development in this area. A cluster of five shops can also be located at ground floor level. But 30% of the site area has to be landscaped with “generous foliage”.

While expressing no objection to the roads since these will not have any impact on existing trees, the Environment and Resources Authority called for the inclusion of more public green space. But the planning directorate insists that the site has to be developed according to the local plan.

Residents have called on the PA to change local plan policies to lessen the impact of development in the area in line with the government’s repeated declarations on safeguarding green lungs in urban areas.