11-storey hotel and residential block approved at Smart City

The Planning Authority has issued an outline permit for a 11-storey hotel and residential development at Smart City in an area currently used as a surface car park. 

All nine board members present voted in favour.

The outline permit sets the building volumes and height of the project but the overall design of the project will be approved after a full planning application is presented.

Planning Authority (PA) chairman Emmanuel Camilleri called for a better design of the project to create a more adequate transition from the coast, and a stepping down of the top floors of the tower blocks.

A photomontage of how the 11-storey block will look like from Xgħajra

His proposal to impose an additional condition calling for adequate terracing of the development to enhance its impact on the skyline was also approved by the board.

The development consists of a 250-room hotel and 128 apartments on a 15,200sq.m site along the eastern part of the Smart City complex.

The project architect presented a comparison with the present plans with those approved in 2009 with visuals showing a more open vista when the project is seen from Xgħajra.

Photomontages of the development show the new development will still dominate views from the Xgħajra promenade and the shoreline albeit one which is broken down by splitting the development in two tower blocks with an existing seven-storey building in between.

A photomontage of how the 11-storey block will look like from the sea

In contrast the outline permit for the entire Smart City project in 2009, envisaged a continuous chain of buildings, covering an existing seven-storey building owned by Smart City.

But while in the original Smart City masterplan, approved in 2008, this parcel of land was earmarked for a hotel and short stay accommodation facilities, the latest permit foresees a hotel component will have a gross floor area of 21,000sq.m and a fully-fledged residential component which will have a floor area of 16,500sq.m.

According to the case officer the proposed introduction of the residential component within the site is in line with the residential uses already established for Smart City as a whole.

The case officer report also refers to “demographic trends over the last 20 years” which led to changes in the “objectives and approach to the original concept of Smart City Malta” as an ICT city.  This led to the transfer of floor space from office use to residential use.

Moreover, according to the case officer, the proposed change in use would translate into a reduction in traffic generated by the development on the site in question, which in turn is expected to result in an alleviation of traffic-related emissions.

According to the case officer the proposal will not exceed the building intensity envisaged in the 2008 masterplan, but will involve a slight increase in the maximum height allowed by 0.2m from 38m to 38.2m.

The site is presently accessed through an internal road off Triq Santu Rokku and the promenade. Once the whole network of Smart City will be completed the site will also be accessible throughout a ring road.