Tum Invest eyes 116 dwellings on Qormi farmland

Tum Invest is proposing the construction of 113 apartments, three terraced houses and two cafeterias on a green enclave within Qormi’s development zone. 

The residential development will be fitted in four full floors and two receded floors.   

The application also foresees the excavation of three underground levels to include parking spaces, seven shops and a gym. 

The application presented by Silvan Fenech, a director of Tum Invest, covers the entire 3,928sq.m site between Triq il-Helsien, Triq x-Xitwa and Triq in-Nahal. It replaces another application on a smaller portion of the land parcel last year which envisaged the development of 49 apartments. 

The latest application foresees the retention of a farmhouse possibly dated to the late 18th and early 19th century which also includes an ghorfa and remissa.  

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has welcomed the retention of the old structures and while not excluding the development, it called for “further engagement” with the architect in the formulation of plans for the area. 

The applicant has acknowledged that the development will result in the felling of trees in the area which include two large ficus trees and the demolition of rubble walls. 

The Environment and Resources Authority has not objected to the proposed development while recommending that the existing trees should be transplanted within the project or to another site. It has also asked the developer to provide information on the increase in daily traffic generated by the development. 

In the application Fenech declares that he does not own the site but has been granted consent by the owners to apply for the proposed development. 

The area is designated in the local plan for residential development consisting of three floors and a semi basement which over the past years has been interpreted to correspond to a metric height of 17.5m in which developers often fit four floors and a penthouse level. 

In this case, plans foresee an additional receded floor, taking advantage of different site levels.  

The application is an outline one, which means that in this case the PA will first approve the massing, height and permitted uses before considering a full planning application which would allow construction works to commence.  

The Planning Authority is currently assessing a zoning application presented by Ray Fenech’s A&A properties to change the street alignment on both sides of Triq il-Helsien and Triq id-Dragun and the creation of a pavement on land outside the present alignment.