Portelli selling Balzan apartments before application is even validated

Balzan residents are facing the onslaught of a massive apartment block that will increase population density in their quite neighbourhood, now advertised online even before they had the chance to see plans and present their objections.

The J Portelli Projects apartments, which are developed by Mercury House owner and Hamrun FC president Joseph Portelli, are already being sold as shell apartments at prices starting at €155,000.

Visuals accompanying the advert indicate the addition of new floors with the new building consisting of a ground-floor set to include shops, three overlying storeys and a penthouse level. A video posted on social media by the company refers to 90 new residential apartments.

But a planning application covering the entire area presently occupied by the abandoned Dolphin Centre in Triq il-Kbira, presented in December (8693/20) is still listed by the Planning Authority website as being incomplete as it has “not been fully submitted”.

But the so-called Park Lane apartments are already being advertised by J Portelli Projects as “new luxury condominium building” of 90 residential apartments, in partnership with CF Developers. “Inspired by the traditional Maltese village core, the project offers a natural limestone façade with distinctive traditional balconies in wrought iron complimented by patios and gardens,” reads their tagline.

Despite the absence of any development permit the “development is being sold on plan, with move-ins scheduled for Winter 2023”.

The advert states that the development will consist of large two- and three-bedroom apartments, with large balconies, and will include retail and grocery outlets, a communal pool, gym, private pools and steam or sauna rooms.

A previous application submitted by Patricia Apap Bologna in 2019 has been withdrawn. The application foresaw internal and external alterations to two existing blocks and a part extension on second floor for office development.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had expressed concern on overbearing volumes the application would create on Main Street, as it faces an Urban Conservation Area, and it warned against unsightly blank party walls on the buildings on Papa Piju XII Street which, even though not within UCA, still consists of an intact stretch of two storey houses.

In 2014 the PA had already approved an application by Mark Bianchi for internal alterations and for a café with outside tables at ground floor level.