Tal-Hawli saved from ODZ old people’s home

In a final blow to plans to construct a massive old people’s home in Birgu’s protected Tal-Hawli valley, the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal has confirmed a decision by the Planning Authority in 2019 to reject the development.

The old people built on 5 storeys was to occupy a site area of circa 2770 square metres with a built footprint of approximately 1178 square metres and a gross floor area of 10,333 square meters.

The original application dating back to 2015 was presented by Donald Magro on behalf of  St Paul’s Residential Homes, a company owned by Joseph Gaffarena

The site comprises small derelict structures which have a total footprint of 50 sq.m  surrounded by land partly covered by soil and vegetation  including a number of mature trees.

The tribunal confirmed that the development as  proposed was incompatible with the designation of the site as an area of scientific or ecological  also  scheduled for its High Landscape Value being adjacent to the Military Glacis of Birgu.

“The proposed development is not simply a rural area but one which is extremely sensitive due to its proximity to Wied Hawli and to the protection accorded to the site,” the tribunal said in its decision.

The tribunal also rejected the argument that the site was already committed by existing development in the same area noting that the proposed development is substantially larger than the structures found on the site.

In their appeal the developers also cited the backing they had from the Birgu Local Council for their proposal.  But this argument was dismissed as irrelevant to the designation of the site which precludes its development.